Government Response to Victims’ Commissioner Recommendations
The government’s response, published on January 7, 2025, addresses several key recommendations made by the Victims’ Commissioner in the Annual Victims’ Survey 2023.
This response is part of the government’s commitment to ensuring victims receive the necessary support and information to engage with and navigate the criminal justice system.
Enhanced Accessibility and Communication for Victims
A significant recommendation from the Victims’ Commissioner is for criminal justice inspectorates to incorporate the provision of communications to victims with accessibility needs into their thematic inspections.
The government has agreed to this recommendation, with the Criminal Justice Joint Inspectorates already responding in agreement.
This measure aligns with Right 1 of the Victims’ Code, which mandates that all service providers communicate in simple and accessible language and offer free translation or interpretation services to victims.
Broader Implications for Victim Support and Rights
The response is part of a broader effort to implement the Victims and Prisoners Act 2024, which aims to bolster victims’ rights and increase scrutiny and accountability of criminal justice agencies.
The Act includes provisions for a more strategic and coordinated approach to commissioning local victim support services and introduces new oversight and accountability measures. Agencies that fail to meet their obligations to victims will face being ‘named and shamed’ through these new measures.
Some Statistics and Implementation Details
- The Victims and Prisoners Act 2024 requires departments and agencies to respond to the Victims’ Commissioner’s recommendations within 56 days.
- A new Victims’ Code will be consulted on in early 2025 to ensure it provides a robust foundation for an effective compliance framework.
- The Act introduces a joint statutory duty for relevant bodies to collaborate in commissioning support services for victims of domestic abuse, sexual abuse, and serious violence.
Leadership Response
The government is committed to ensuring that victims and survivors have the information and support they need to engage with the criminal justice system, and to cope and recover from the impact of crime.
Ministry of Justice
This commitment reflects the government’s priority in implementing core reforms that cement the baseline for ensuring victims know about their rights under the Victims’ Code and that agencies deliver these rights effectively.
Progress and Targets
- The Ministry of Justice will work closely with the Victims’ Commissioner and other agencies to agree on a compliance framework for the new Victims’ Code.
- A timetable for implementing the new Code compliance framework will be set out in due course.
- The government aims to halve violence against women and girls within a decade, with new safeguards against intrusive requests for personal data.
Local and Regional Impact
The new measures will have a significant impact at the local level, with statutory guidance requiring local commissioners to provide a range of services that meet the needs of victims in their area. This includes the commissioning of specialist services for older victims and disabled victims.
Local bodies must produce and publish a joint strategy and conduct a joint assessment of the needs of victims in their area.
Immediate Implications
The immediate implications of these changes include enhanced support and accessibility for victims, particularly those with accessibility needs. The new measures will also increase transparency and accountability within the criminal justice system.
Broader Significance
These reforms have the potential to transform how the justice system treats victims. According to the Victims’ Commissioner, Baroness Newlove, the true measure of the Act’s success hinges on the experiences of victims themselves.
These changes aim to place victims at the heart of the justice system, ensuring they receive the support and respect they deserve.
