Information for victims of crime Contents 4 Foreword from the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner and the Chief Constable Your entitlements 5 What are your rights under the Victims' Code? 6 Data protection / Message to you from Supporting Victims 7 What kind of support can I get? 8 Young victims 8 Making a Victim Personal Statement 9 and 10 Your Victim Personal Statement (MG11 VPS) The court process 11 Going to court – the role of the Witness Care Officer 11 Help in court – Special Measures Alternatives to going to court 12 Alternatives to going to court / Community Remedy 13 Restorative Justice 14 and 15 Your journey through the Criminal Justice System Other support available 16 Criminal injuries claims 16 How to make a complaint 17 Victims' Right to Review Get in touch 18 Contact details 3 Foreword A message from Julia Mulligan, A message from Lisa Winward, Police, Fire and Crime Chief Constable of Commissioner for North Yorkshire North Yorkshire Police Supporting Victims is a bespoke North Yorkshire It is extremely important to me that we do service designed to help you cope and recover everything we can to support you through your from the impact of crime by giving you access to a experience and that we can help you feel range of specialist support services. reassured that you don't have to face this situation The service is available to all victims, whether or on your own. not the crime has been reported to the police. It is We understand that the impact of crime differs entirely up to you to decide whether or not you from person to person and I want you to feel wish to take up support. The services have also confident that North Yorkshire Police will make developed with the help of victims, to ensure you sure that both your emotional and practical needs get the support you need, when you need it. are met. Officers and staff will work hard in partnership This booklet explains what's available and what with Criminal Justice colleagues to deliver the best you can expect from the police and others whose possible service and help you every step of the job it is to help you. Please visit way. www.supportingvictims.org to see the full range of services on offer, and ring them on 01609 643100 to find out how they can be tailored to your particular needs. Remember that you can also talk to the police officer dealing with your case. I am always looking to improve the services that we provide, and the way in which the police and those helping you provide their support. If you have any feedback, or would like to contact me directly, please email [email protected] or call 01423 569562. I hope you find the booklet useful and that, with our support, you can get your life back as close to normal, as quickly as possible. 4 Your rights What are your rights under the Victims’ Code? ! If you are a victim of crime in England or Wales you are entitled to support from the criminal justice agencies under the Code of Practice for Victims of Crime, even if you don't report the incident to the police. You are also entitled to support if you are a close relative of somebody who has been killed as a result of a crime The rights for victims are: Right 1 – To be able to understand and be understood. Right 7 – To make a Victim Personal Statement. You have the Right to be given information in a way that You have the Right to make a Victim Personal Statement, is easy to understand and to be provided with help to be which tells the court how the crime has affected you and is understood including, where necessary, access to considered when sentencing the offender. You will be interpretation and translation services. given information about the process. Right 2 – To have the details of the crime recorded Right 8 – To be given information about the trial, trial without unjustified delay. process and your role as a witness. You have the Right to have details of the crime recorded If our case goes to court, you have the Right to be told the by the police as soon as possible after the incident. If time, date and location of any hearing and the outcome of you are required to provide a witness statement or be those hearings in a timely way. If you are required to give interviewed, you have the Right to be provided with evidence, you have the Right to be offered appropriate additional support to assist you through the process. help before the trial and, where possible, if the court Right 3 – To be provided with information when allows, to meet the prosecutor before giving evidence. reporting a crime. Right 9 – To be given information about the outcome of You have the Right to receive written confirmation when the case and any appeals. reporting a crime, to be provided with information You have the Right to be told the outcome of the case and, about the criminal justice process and to be told about if the defendant is convicted, to be given an explanation of programmes or services for victims. This might include the sentence. If the offender appeals against their services where you can meet with the suspect of conviction or sentence, you have the Right to be told about offender, which is known as Restorative justice. the appeal and its outcome. Right 4 – To be referred to services that support victims Right 10 – To be paid expenses and have property and have services and support tailored to your needs. returned. You have the Right to be referred to services that If you are required to attend court and give evidence, you support victims, which includes the Right to contact have the Right to claim certain expenses. If any of your them directly, and to have your needs assessed so property was taken as evidence, you have the Right to get services and support can be tailored to meet your it back as soon as possible. needs. If eligible, you have the Right to be offered a Right 11 – To be given information about the offender referral to specialist support services and to be told following a conviction. about additional support available at court, for example special measures. Where eligible, you have the Right to be automatically referred to the Victim Contact Scheme, which will provide Right 5 – To be provided with information about you with information about the offender and their progress compensation. in prison, and if/when they become eligible for Where eligible, you have the Right to be told about how consideration of parole or release. Where applicable, you to claim compensation for any loss, damage or injury also have the Right to make a new Victim Personal caused as a result of crime. Statement, in which you can say how the crime continues Right 6 – To be provided with information about the to affect you. investigation and prosecution. Right 12 – To make a complaint about your rights not You have the Right to be provided with updates on your being met. case and to be told when important decisions are taken. If you believe that you have not received your Rights, you You also have the Right, at certain stages of the justice have the Right to make a complaint to the relevant service process, to ask for decisions to be looked at again by the provider. If you remain unhappy, you can contact the relevant service provider. Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman. A more comprehensive list of entitlements can be found within the Code of Practice for Victims of Crime, which can be located on www.gov.uk Rights 1, 4, and 12, apply to all victims even if the crime isn’t reported to the police. If you are vulnerable, intimidated, persistently targeted or the victim of the most serious crimes you are entitled to 'enhanced' rights under the codes. This means that you are entitled to be updated within 24 hours of a significant milestone in the investigation. Your rights Message to you from Supporting North Yorkshire Police work Victims closely with other agencies to offer advice and support to Being a victim of crime can victims. be a traumatic and sometimes life changing North Yorkshire Police are permitted to event. That's why in North share your information without your Yorkshire we want you, as a consent in order to perform certain victim of crime, to have the official duties which has been given to confidence to access the them. In this instance, North Yorkshire services you need from Police will share your information with both North Yorkshire Police and our dedicated local the Police, Fire and Crime support service, Supporting Victims. Because Commissioner's Supporting Victims Supporting Victims works with North Yorkshire Police Team so they can discuss with you we may get in touch with you directly to offer you whether or not you wish to be referred support after crime. There is no need to worry about to victim support services. (Domestic your information as this is held on a secure database Violence, Crime and Victims Act 2004 and will not be shared with any other agency without and associated Code of Practice for your consent unless the Safeguarding of Adults and Victims of Crime) . When the Children thresholds are triggered or where it is Supporting Victims team discuss the believed there is a threat to life.