Crime: Victims and witnesses 'unaware of rights to support'

Services to support victims and witnesses in the criminal justice system are not being consistently delivered to a quality standard across NI, a report has concluded.

The Criminal Justice Inspection Northern Ireland (CJI)'s report said there had been improvement in recent years.

But it added victims and witnesses remain "fundamentally unaware" of their rights to support and protection.

The CJI has made recommendations.

The body examined the journey of the victim or witness from the point a crime occurs, through the contact they have with organisations such as the police and Public Prosecution Service (PPS) and the support they receive on that journey.

Jacqui Durkin, chief inspector of Criminal Justice in Northern Ireland, said the inspection found evidence of "dedicated individuals" from across the criminal justice system and the voluntary sector supporting victims and witnesses.

But she added: "We also identified that victims and witnesses remained fundamentally unaware of their rights to information, support and protection and that services to assist them were still not being consistently delivered to a quality standard across Northern Ireland."

Ms Durkin said victims and witnesses have their own individual needs and support services should be tailored to their requirements.

She said that would help them feel more able to give their evidence and contribute in the "often long process to bring offenders to justice".

Ms Durkin said failing to do that had a negative impact on public confidence in the justice system and could deter victims from reporting crime, which in turn enabled perpetrators to go on to commit further offences and create more victims.

Justice Minister Naomi Long said it was vital that all victims and witnesses feel supported and that their experience of the criminal justice system "does not add to trauma they may have suffered as a result of crime and at a time when they may be particularly vulnerable".

"The report recognises the professionalism and dedication of officials in all criminal justice organisations and acknowledges the work that has made a difference to the experience of many victims and witnesses," Mrs Long said.

"However, the report has shown there is more work to be done."

The inspection said there was often too much focus by criminal justice organisations on statistics and meeting targets, rather than on the lifelong impact a crime can potentially have on a victim or witness.

It also said there was a lack of knowledge and confusion among victims around the help and support they could get.

Ms Durkin said that substantial work is needed "to raise awareness within the community about the Victim Charter and Witness Charter which set out the rights, support and protection available to victims and witnesses."

The CJI recommended that work to raise the profile of those charters should be undertaken by the Department of Justice in the next 12 months.

A number of recommendations were also made to the police and PPS to improve how the needs of victims and witnesses can be identified and dealt with.

Ms Durkin said that if those recommendations are implemented it would "support the continued development of better services to help all victims and witnesses".

The chief inspector also highlighted that delays to court hearings and trials because of the Covid-19 pandemic could be problematic and said it is vital victims and witnesses were kept informed and engaged "to enable them to give their evidence and support prosecutions."

The PPS said it welcomed the report's publication and that it recognises that being the victim of a crime or witnessing a crime can be a traumatic experience.

"Engaging with the criminal justice system can sometimes add to the stresses created by this experience," said PPS victims' champion Marianne O'Kane.

"We are fully committed to improving the experience of victims and witnesses within the criminal justice system and we support the recommendations made in this important report."

Ms O'Kane said the PPS has made "significant strides in recent years to improve our service to victims and witnesses".

Mrs Long said a ministerially-commissioned reference group will be appointed to advise her on the potential remit of a general victims of crime commissioner for Northern Ireland.

"The group will include representatives from key organisations who can speak on behalf of victims and criminal justice organisations responsible for providing information and support to victims as they move through the criminal justice system," she said.