Our Opinion: Progress made for crime victims; more needed

Last week's National Crime Victims Awareness Week passed with little fanfare nationally or locally. Despite it not being a burning issue, crime victims and their advocates have made progress in the Missouri Legislature.

Still, more progress needs to be made.

Many resources now exist for crime victims that didn't previously. We've highlighted several of those programs in recent news stories:

MOVANS, a fully automated information notification system that immediately notifies registered users upon a change in an offender's incarceration, court status or the status of a protection order. It is operated by the Missouri Department of Public Safety (DPS).

The Missouri Crime Victims' Compensation Program, which helps pay for expenses like counseling, funeral costs and lost wages. DPS, which administers the program, has awarded more than $24 million to more than 8,500 Missourians who were affected by violent crime.

Filling a V.O.I.D., a Missouri Highway Patrol program that provides information, support and assistance to victims of impaired-driving and their families. An advocate helps victims understand the criminal justice process, address their concerns and request information for them.

Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens honored crime victims and victim advocates for their efforts in advocating for victims.

Greitens can relate to crime victims. A month before taking office, his wife, Sheena, was robbed of a laptop and cell phone while sitting in a car in St. Louis. Police later arrested three teenage suspects.

What more can be done to aid crime victims?

There are still some laws that favor the accused more than the victim. In court, for instance, only immediate family members can give victim impact statements. But anyone can plead for leniency at the end of a trial on behalf of the person who is convicted. The restrictions should be the same for both sides.

Also, prosecutors shouldn't have their hands tied when filing charges. Currently, they are limited to seeking manslaughter charge in fatal accidents involving driving under the influence. That may be appropriate most of the time, but they should have the discretion to file second-degree murder charges, when applicable.

Lawmakers often talk of "getting tough on crime," but we also need to be vigilant in focusing on the victims as well.