The Government has announced that it will be publishing a draft Victims Bill for pre-legislative scrutiny, a prerequisite to implement a Victims Law.
APCC Joint Victims Leads Donna Jones & Sophie Linden respond to the publication of draft Victims Bill:
Today's announcement is welcomed by Police and Crime Commissioners. It enshrines the Victims' Code into law, putting victims front and centre in the criminal justice system. We are pleased by the prominent role of PCCs in drawing together partnerships, ensuring the voice of victims is heard, and in monitoring compliance across the system locally. Each are critical areas of work.
We look forward to working with partners to deliver quality services for victims under a new duty to collaborate. This is a real opportunity to assess need and work collaboratively to ensure we are delivering the very best services for victims.
PCCs play a central locally in monitoring performance through chairing our Local Criminal Justice Boards. We look forward to working with our partners to closely scrutinise code compliance data to identify areas of challenge and success, putting victims first.
We will be working closely with our colleagues in government on the pre-legislative scrutiny of this draft legislation and look forward to the Bill being introduced to Parliament at the soonest possible opportunity. Resourcing must match the demands placed upon PCCs, their offices, and the services we commission, to continue delivering the high quality of services that victims are entitled to receive.
Plans to put victims back at the centre of justice system published