Victim and Witness Intimidation

Authors

Elsa Y. Chen, Santa Clara UniversityFollow

Document Type

Book Chapter

Publication Date

2009

Publisher

Sage Publications

Abstract

Victim or witness intimidation is the practice of threatening, harming, or otherwise instilling fear in a victim of, or witness to, a crime, in an effort to prevent him or her from reporting a crime or testifying in court. It may also be used to convince a victim or witness to recant testimony that has already been made. The intimidation may involve physical violence, explicit threats of physical violence, implicit threats, and/or property damage. Threats may be made by the defendant or by his or her friends, family, fellow gang members, or other associates. Most victim and witness intimidation takes place in time either between the defendant's arrest and his or her trial or during the trial, in the courtroom.

Chapter of

Encyclopedia of Race and Crime

Editor

Helen Taylor Greene
Shaun L. Gabbidon

Comments

Copyright © 2009 Sage Publications. Reprinted with permission.
DOI: 10.4135/9781412971928.n344

Recommended Citation

Chen, Elsa Y. “Victim and Witness Intimidation.” Encyclopedia of Race and Crime. Editors Helen Taylor Greene and Shaun L. Gabbidon. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications (2009).