The audio program, which is narrated by NCSL Staff Coordinator, Vicky McPheron, presents the basic tenets of victims’ rights and services law and outlines the impact of State legislatures on victims’ rights and services. The program draws on the expertise of State legislators, agency heads, and criminal justice system officials to describe the basic State laws pertaining to victims’ rights and services. The program is divided into four main tracks: the introduction, issue areas, compliance and measuring victim satisfaction, and the conclusion. The introduction describes the history of the criminal justice system in terms of its eventual inclusion of victims’ rights and services and reviews State laws that protect victims of crime. In the second track, the main areas of victims’ rights law are discussed, which include participation, protection, notification, restitution, compensation, and special categories of victims. The cornerstone of victims’ rights is described as their right to participate in the criminal justice process. The third track on compliance and victim satisfaction outlines the challenges of enforcing victims’ rights laws. Case examples are presented of different State approaches to enforcing victims’ rights laws, such as through the use of justice system report cards and victim satisfaction surveys. Recent victims’ rights enforcement legislation is described, as are other initiatives designed to gain criminal justice system compliance with victims’ rights and services laws. The conclusion discusses the partnership between the NCSL and the Office for Victims of Crime. The program also includes commentary from several State Representatives and from the president of a private criminal justice consulting firm. Audio only