Systemic Re-Victimization in Puerto Rico's Criminal Justice System

Why Victim Participation Strengthens Justice Outcomes

By Karla Hernández, Gerald Ericksen, Giodalys Dávila, Esq., & Irene Ericksen, M.S.

Puerto Rico's criminal justice system recognizes victims' rights in statute — but recognition on paper is not the same as protection in practice. When victims are excluded from proceedings, left uninformed about their cases, or denied meaningful participation at critical junctures, the system itself becomes a source of harm. This is systemic re-victimization, and the data shows its consequences clearly.

Our latest report, developed through the Advocacy and Accountability Project, examines the research evidence on systemic re-victimization within criminal proceedings and makes the case for enforceable victim participation reforms. Drawing on peer-reviewed studies across multiple jurisdictions, we demonstrate that strengthening victims' rights is not only a moral imperative — it is a structural, evidence-based strategy to improve justice outcomes in Puerto Rico.

Read the full report, originally published on Medium, here: Systemic Re-Victimization in Puerto Rico's Criminal Justice System: Why Enforceable Victim Participation Strengthens Justice Outcomes