Published Paper Details:

Traditionally, the Indian criminal justice system has functioned through an offender-centric lens, focusing heavily on retributive justice and punishment. However, a progressive shift toward a restorative framework is emerging, which recognizes the victim not just as a witness, but as a primary stakeholder entitled to rights, rehabilitation, and reparation. The introduction of Section 357A in the CrPC (now Section 396 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023) marked a significant legislative milestone, establishing State-funded victim compensation schemes. Despite these advancements, the implementation of these schemes is hampered by bureaucratic delays, inadequate funding, and a lack of uniformity across states. This paper analyses the current landscape of victim compensation in India and proposes reforms to create a truly victim-centric justice system also highlights the various laws on Victim compensation scheme.