WIREDGOV

APCC Joint Leads for Victims Clare Moody and Matthew Scott, respond to the publication of the results of a survey by the Victims’ Commissioner for England and Wales that highlights victims’ lack of confidence in the criminal justice system

“These findings are extremely concerning but, sadly, unsurprising. We know victims feel failed by the criminal justice system, trust and confidence is still too low and many victims who do report a crime feel they have to step away from the process because of the time – too often now several years – it is taking to get cases to trial. Such delays resulting from court backlogs compound the trauma of being a victim in the first place which understandably makes victims feel their needs are anything but central to the criminal justice process. 

“We recognise the demand pressures the criminal courts face, and the Government is acting to tackle those. It is critical, though, that those changes address victims’ lack of confidence in the justice system, and issues such as poor communication should not require systemic change to see improvement.

“Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) and Deputy Mayors are responsible for putting in place appropriate support for victims and we are committed to ensuring that support is available. Funding pressures and increased demand are making this increasingly challenging, so we reiterate that long term, stable funding is needed to help victims cope and recover and support them in navigating their way through the criminal justice process.”

“As chairs of our Local Criminal Justice Boards, we will work with our local agencies, including police, to reflect on these findings and thank the Victims’ Commissioner for her efforts to bring victims’ voices to national attention.”

Notes

• Clare Moody is PCC for Avon and Somerset
• Matthew Scott is PCC for Kent
• The Annual Victims’ Survey 2024 is available on the Victims’ Commissioner for England and Wales’s website