Navigating the Criminal Justice System: A Systematic Review of Qualitative Evidence on the Experiences of Homicide Co-victims.

Homicide is considered a crime against the state rather than the covictims, which impacts on criminal justice system (CJS) processes and can lead to secondary victimization. This review explores the experience of co-victims (i.e., family members) engaging with the CJS. Thirty studies met the inclusion criteria and were identified through searching six bibliographic databases (MEDLINE, HMIC, CINAHL, ASSIA, IBSS, and SSCI) and supplementary searches. Two reviewers conducted screening, data extraction, and quality appraisal. Thematic synthesis resulted in three themes: (a) information and meaningful inclusion, (b) who is the justice system for?, and (c) relating to victims as people. These themes highlight concerns regarding the marginalization of co-victims within the CJS and suggest ways to enhance processes to avoid further marginalizing and traumatizing co-victims.
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