Navigating the criminal justice system: A systematic review of qualitative evidence on the experiences of homicide co-victims

Abstract

Homicide is considered a crime against the state rather than the covictims, which impacts criminal justice system (CJS) processes and can lead to secondary victimization. This review explores the experience of covictims (i.e., family members) engaging with the CJS. Thirty studies met the inclusion criteria and were identified through searching six bibliographic databases (MEDLINE, Health Management Information Consortium, CINAHL, Applied Social Sciences Index & Abstracts, International Bibliography of the Social Sciences, and Social Science Citation Index) and supplementary searches. Two reviewers conducted screening, data extraction, and quality appraisal. Thematic synthesis resulted in three themes: (a) information and meaningful inclusion, (b) who is the justice system for?, and (c) relating to victims as people. These themes highlight concerns regarding the marginalization of covictims within the CJS and suggest ways to enhance processes to avoid further marginalizing and traumatizing covictims.