A Government consultation about the code of practice for victims of crime proposes ‘more simplified rights such as a right to be given information about the investigation and criminal proceedings and the right to be offered the opportunity to make a Victim Personal Statement’.
The Ministry of Justice admits that ‘victims are rarely made aware of the entitlement to access support service when they choose to formally withdraw from the criminal justice process, having initially reported the incident to police’. The consultation proposes in an update to the Code ‘to make it clearer that victims who do not report the crime or who choose to withdraw from the criminal justice process are entitled to the same support’ as those who do stay with the process.
The Government in September 2018 published the first cross-government Victims Strategy, and the Code of Practice for Victims of Crime dates from 2006 and was last updated in 2015; yet many people are still not aware of it, Edward Argar, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Ministry of Justice, said in a foreword to the consultation document.
Mr Argar said: “This consultation is the next step in ensuring the experience of victims within the justice system – whatever their particular path and eventual outcome – does not result in them becoming a victim of the process, as well as the crime.”
The Government plans to consult later this year on the detail of a ‘Victims’ Law’ to explore how government and other public bodies can be better held to account for the service offered to victims under the Code. The revised code will include that those psychologically affected by directly witnessing acts of serious violence, that they have the same entitlements to access victim support services as those who suffer physical injuries.
The consultation admits that there are so many possible entitlements (over 100 for an adult victim) that it’s difficult for front-line staff to clearly explain, and for victims to understand, the support and information they should receive. Among shortcomings, not all victims entitled to services are being identified; and on the other hand some victims are being asked to take part in several needs assessments throughout the criminal justice process, ‘as the information is not always passed between agencies and support services. This means that victims often have to repeat information about themselves and about the impact of the crime that they have previously provided, creating a feeling that the criminal justice system has not fully considered their needs,’ and possibly causing ‘re-traumatisation’.
Comment
Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) chief executive James Lowman said: “We need greater recognition of businesses as victims of crime so that convenience retailers and their store colleagues get the support they need. Crime has a profound impact on its victims, whether they are people, businesses or communities. Our research revealed that only 40 per cent of retailers who reported a violent incident to the police were made aware of the option to make an impact statement for business. It is important that those who are victims of crime, such as violence and abusive incidents, are made aware of their rights and the support that is available to them both as an individual and a business. We will be using this opportunity to push for stronger support for victims of crime.”
For the consultation which closes on September 11 visit https://consult.justice.gov.uk/digital-communications/proposed-changes-to-the-victims-code/.
Recently a letter, signed by more than 40 retail high street chief executives, and sector groups including the ACS, British Retail Consortium, USDAW and the Charity Retailers Association, calls for ‘a new approach’ to deliver meaningful change that will reduce violence and abuse; action from central Government, the wider justice system and from retailers.
