Producing Change for Victims in the Criminal Justice System -- The U.K. Experience (From Changing Victim Policy: The United Nations Victim Declaration and Recent Developments in Europe: Report on Expert Group Meeting, 1988, Helsinki, P 170-190, 1989 -- See NCJ-122412)

• NCJ Number: 122420
• Author(s): J Shapland
• Date Published: 1989
• Length: 21 pages
• Sale Source: United Nations European Institute for Crime Prevention and Control (HEUNI)
• Publication Type: Survey (Cross-Cultural)
• Language: English
• Country: Finland

Annotation

In recent years the United Kingdom has experienced many changes in working practices and professional attitudes toward crime victims, and further changes to benefit victims are now being discussed.

Abstract

These changes have not resulted from the efforts of a single and coherent victim movement. Instead, policy initiatives have been proposed by a wide range of individuals and bodies, including the National Association of Victim Support Schemes. However, the government has seldom initiated the changes and has tended to view policy in terms of actions it directly promotes rather than actions it encourages in others. The changes range from the provision of information to victims by the police, changes in court procedures regarding evidence, legislation on government compensation and compensation from offenders, and other types of victim support. The efforts to carry out the changes have shown that it is essential to train the professionals involved. It is also important for agencies to see a responsiveness to victims' needs as part of their mandate, for agencies to cooperate with one another, and for agencies to receive adequate resources and staff. 20 references.