New initiatives
A lot of work's been done to improve how victims and witnesses are treated in Cambridgeshire.
All of Cambridgeshire's criminal justice agencies are committed to putting victims and witnesses at the centre of the Criminal Justice System. Over the past few years numerous new initiatives have been put in place and we are continuing to work together to improve justice for victims and witnesses.
Supporting victims
From 2006, police forces across the country have been required to meet service standards set out in the Government's Quality of Service Commitment. This helps improve ease of contact with the Police, keeps victims informed of progress and engages with local communities in developing services.
The Code of Practise for Victims of Crime came into force in April 2006, assuring higher standards of support and information for victims.
If an offender's serving a jail sentence of 12 months or more for a sexual or violent offence, specialist Probation staff are responsible for staying in touch with the victim.
Prisons also provide a telephone helpline for victims receiving unwanted contact from the offender. They can also ring the number if they have concerns about the prisoner's release.
Supporting witnesses
Cambridgeshire's Witness Care Units are providing tailored, timely and practical support with a single point of contact for witnesses.
Where possible, witnesses attending court are given separate waiting rooms from those provided for defendents and their families.
There are a range of special measures in place to assist vulnerable or intimidated witnesses to give evidence in court. These include giving evidence by live link from outside the courtroom and screens around the witness box box so that witnesses can't see the defendent.
The Central Witness Bureau supports police in giving witness protection to those who need it.
Giving victims and witnesses a voice
Late last year, video recorded statements, previously only available to children and vulnerable adult witnesses, were extended to adult sexual offence victims in the Crown Court.
The Crown Prosecution Service is also ensuring that victims have a voice in the justice system.
Bereaved families in murder, manslaughter and fatal traffic collisions have the chance to meet with prosecutors, who:
- Explain the charging decision and court process
- Assist with arrangements for making a victim's personal statement
- Answer questions the family may have
Following conviction and before sentence, the prosecutor will offer to read the statement to the court or invite the judge to read the statement privately, depending on the family's wishes.
Making amends
No amount of compensation can ever undo the pain caused to victims, particularly in the most serious cases. However, the Cambridgeshire Criminal Justice Board's committed to improving compensation and reparation for victims and communities.
Conditional cautioning is a new scheme in Cambridgeshire, which provides opportunities for offenders to provide immediate compensation to victims for relatively minor offences.
Conditional cautions are used in certain cases where there's enough evidence to convict but the Crown Prosecutor decide it's in the best interest of the victim and community that the case be dealt with outside court. In most cases the offender's ordered to pay compensation to the victim.
The Victims' Surcharge is another new development. The surcharge is being applied to court fines and will go towards a fund to help improve services for crime victims.