← Legal Glossary
Victim and Witness Protection Act (VWPA)
Definition
A 1982 federal statute that was the predecessor to the MVRA. Under the VWPA, courts had discretion to order restitution and could calibrate the amount based on the defendant's culpability, circumstances, and dependents — features more typical of criminal sentencing.
Examples
- •Courts of appeals uniformly held that restitution under the VWPA was criminal punishment, forming the legal backdrop for the MVRA