VICTIMS' RIGHTS GROUPS

...came out in the last 15 years. They say, "Why do 'criminals' have all the rights? What about the rights of victims?" They often include people who've suffered tragedy, lost loved ones & property, and are frustrated by the unaccountability of the justice system. But they are usually organized & paid for by law enforcement groups & 'tough-on-crime' pushers, who organize their pain into a voice for vengeance & political gain. Both prison guards & police exploit their tragedies to extend their influence over politicians, pushing harsher sentences, dehumanization, & distraction from the true problems on the outside — the injustices of the larger system.