Legal reform in the name of victims of crime began to appear in state and federal law in the 1960's. It can be seen in victim restitution and compensation laws, in the reform of rape laws, drunk driving statutes, bail laws, and in provisions for victim impact statements at sentencing, to name a few. Over time in many jurisdictions these specific victim provisions were joined by a more general, more comprehensive victims' bills of rights. Thus, by the close of the twentieth century, thirty-three states had added victims' rights amendments to their state constitutions and each of the states had general statutory declarations of victims' rights.

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