Victim & Witness Workshop
Last updated April 22, 2009
Multi-agency support for victim and witness event
A WORKSHOP has identified ways to improve the service given to victims and witnesses by
the Wiltshire criminal justice agencies.
The first Wiltshire Criminal Justice Board Victim & Witness Practitioners’ Workshop was held on April 16 at Urchfont Manor.
There were 40 delegates from CPS, HMCS, Wiltshire Probation Area, Swindon Youth Offending Team, Wiltshire Police, Wiltshire Youth Offending Service, Victim Support, Witness Service, Witness Care Unit and the Camera Road Safety Unit, as well as a defence solicitor.
The event was opened by Kim O’Neill, Chair of the WCJB’s Victims and Witnesses Group and Business Manager for CPS Wiltshire (pictured right).
She told delegates: “Victims are at the heart of all we do. Every file has a face.”
The first part of the day comprised presentations on the local and national contexts, including contributions from Victim Support and Witness Service volunteers John Longley and Lois Wells (pictured left), and a multi-agency groupwork session using a case-study, which was followed by feedback.
The second part of the workshop saw single agency groups use a process map to examine what changes could be made to the CJS to help improve the services to victims and witnesses.
The majority of delegates said afterwards they felt the groupwork sessions were excellent or good and they valued the opportunity for inter-agency working and networking.
The groupwork and feedback forms are now being collated to identify key points for an action plan to be implemented.
All Local Criminal Justice Boards now have to propose actions and projects to address gaps in the service they provide to victims and witnesses, as well as achieve improvements.