Patiala, November 3, 2022:
Banwarilal Purohit, Governor of Punjab, presided over the 3-day International Conference (3-5 November 2022) “Securing Justice to Victims of Crime” organised by the Centre for Criminology, Criminal Justice and Victimology (CCV), Rajiv Gandhi National University of Law, Punjab in collaboration with Indian Society of Victimology (ISV)and World Society of Victimology (WSV). The Eighth International and Twelfth Biennial Conference of the Indian Society of Victimology on “Securing Justice to Victims of Crime” commenced with the inaugural Session.
Banwarilal Purohit, Governor of Punjab, deliberated on the Indian justice system. He elaborated on relationship between accused and the state in liberal democracies. Purohit said, “Victimology is a language of empathy. It is high time that the victimological foundations must find a place in our criminal justice administration.” Purohit cited the Supreme Court of India while alluding to the case of Jagjeet Singh v. Ashish Mishra. He exhorted lawyers to reserve time for providing legal aid to the poor and underprivileged. He emphasized that cognitive training of functionaries and appropriate framework for empirical investigation of victimization of vulnerables could be plausible alternatives to avoid delay in justice. Trial delays thwart the safety of victims deprived of justice. He narrated instances from the court of King Vikramaditya and Jahangir. He congratulated CCV, RGNUL for organising conference on pertinent issue related to the rights of victims of justice. “I am sure that deliberations of the conference in form of paper would aid the processes of justice,” Purohit said.
Prof. G. S. Bajpai, President, Indian Society of victimology (ISV) and Vice-Chancellor RGNUL, Punjab welcomed the guests and delegates to the conference. In his presidential address, Prof. Bajpai reiterated the need to advance the cause of victimology. He dwelled on the rights of victims of justice. “There have been tremendous strides in victim assistance program. The terminology of justice has changed from injury, offence and harm to mediation, restoration, restitution and compensation,” he said. Delving into the dimensions of victimology. Prof Bajpai reminded the audience that evolving victim justice must work on untapped domain of criminology. “Countries with high crime rate have inverse relationship with happiness. Victimology has to promote happiness quotient, enhance public safety, ensure peace and harmony, restore human dignity, humanize and facilitate achievement of constitutional goals,” he said. There have been tremendous strides in victim assistance program. The terminology of justice has changed from injury, offence and harm to mediation, restoration, restitution and compensation.
Justice J. R. Midha, Former Judge, Delhi High Court and Distinguished Professor, RGNUL said, “The contemporary criminal justice system paradigm focusses on punishing crime through incarceration to reset the moral balance. This paradigm ignores the voice and needs of the most impacted victims. The pervasive problem of victimization is inability to address needs of the victims.” Dr. V. Vaishnavi, General Secretary, ISV presented anual report of Indian Society of Victimology.
On this occasion Hand Book of Laws and Case Laws for Victims of Crime authored by Prof. G. S. Bajpai and Journal for Victimology and Victim Justice were released. Shri Priyank Kanoongo, Chairperson, National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) New Delhi, Prof. B. B. Pande, Distinguished Professor, National Law University, Delhi, Prof. (Dr.) Peter Schafer, Treasurer, World Society of Victimology & Professor, Faculty of Applied Social Sciences, Niederrhein University of Applied Sciences and officials of district administration were present during the inaugural session.
Prof. Anand Pawar, Registrar, RGNUL extended a vote of thanks. He appreciated the endeavours of all collaborators and support of the district administration for conduction of the conference. 200 delegates from India, Germany and Bangladesh would present papers in 20 technical sessions.
