Challenges Facing Victims Of Crime During The Trial Process In Nakuru Court Of Law, Nakuru Town, Kenya

The impact of crime on the people affected by it can be profound. Victims may suffer from physical, mental or psychological, emotional and financial harm, from which some may never recover. Injuries may be threatened or inflicted upon victims, witnesses or their families, and threats may even be made against lives. Victims of crime ought to enjoy rights and privileges envisaged by The Constitution, 2010 and other written statutes. The broad objective of the study is to investigate the challenges facing crime victims on litigation in Nakuru Law Courts. Specifically the study sought to; establish the socio-economic characteristics victims of crime victims in Nakuru law courts, to examine the perception of crime victims towards the criminal justice system, to assess the level of understanding of the criminal justice process by crime victims in Nakuru law courts. The study was guided by lifestyle theory and deviant place theory. The study employed descriptive survey research design. The study population was the victims of crime whose cases have been in court for the last five years that is 301. From the total study population, a sample of 103 was obtained through multi stage sampling. Purposive sampling was used to select one prosecutor in each of the 12 magistrate courts for interview. Quantitative data obtained was analyzed using percentages, frequencies, means, charts and graphs using SPSS while qualitative data collected through interviews was analyzed thematically. The results of the study shows that the females were more susceptible to crimes than males and that the majority who were most affected were between ages 41-50 years. Those who would not wish to go back to the court were much higher compared to those respondents who would wish to go back to the court should they be victims again.