A "FUNDAMENTAL change of attitude" is needed in the criminal justice system if victims' rights are to be accorded the same priority as those of defendants, the conference was told.
The justice system had to find a way of dealing with offenders which did not increase the distress or add to the problems of the victims of crime, said Mrs Jennifer Guinness, chairperson of the Victim Support organisation in Ireland.
Victims could suffer great stress from crimes or incidents which other people might consider relatively trivial, she said.
"Crime does not have to be serious or violent to have a traumatic effect on the victim.
"The most profound effect of any crime is felt by the victim, yet traditionally the criminal justice system has been concentrated on the criminal," she said.
"The victim may gel very little consideration, and for many the whole experience of going to court is worse than the crime itself."
Victim Support - a voluntary organisation, partly funded by the Government - had many examples where the victim's rights to information about their case have been disregarded or ignored, and yet it is of vital importance to the person against whom the crime was committed".
Mrs Guinness welcomed the fact that, before sentencing offenders, judges could seek victim impact statements, which gardai should prepare, Victim Support argues.
"This means that the court now takes into account the effect of the crime on the victim. Victims have the right to let the court hear how the crime has impacted on their lives, where there has been a plea of guilty or the defendant has been found guilty.
"This provides victims with a feeling of participating in their own case, which is likely to make them understand the proceedings better and to feel more satisfied with the outcome."
Studies indicated that such participation in the proceedings helped victims to recover more quickly, she said, and contributed to restoring their self confidence and their confidence in the criminal justice system.