More jurisdictions are now, however, adding legislation or programs that involve the victim in the criminal proceeding, allow the victim to influence prosecution and judgment, protect the victim from further victimization from either the offender or the process itself, and ensure that the victim receives either state compensation or reparation from the offender. We examine the criminal justice system's assumptions concerning the involvement or noninvolvement of the victims of crime in the process, identify the relevant research already available, and suggest further research to aid in the evaluation of laws and policies and the assumptions behind them. (Author abstract)