CJI publishes report into the care and treatment of victims and witnesses in the criminal justice sy
07/12/2011
A report on the care and treatment of victims and witnesses in the criminal justice centre was published today stating that further change is necessary to address the needs of victims and witnesses.
“Undoubtedly there have been improvements in the way the system interacts with and treats victims and witnesses,” said chief inspector, Dr Michael Maguire. “But there remains a significant number of people who feel dissatisfied given their experience.
“The Inspectors heard numerous accounts from victims and witnesses who spoke of ‘delays’ in the system, poor communication and updating on case progression, a lack of co-ordination between the agencies and a general lack of support as people progress through the justice system.
“The treatment of victims and witnesses is a complex and difficult area for justice organisations, but the time has come for us to create more of a criminal justice ‘service’ that focuses to a greater extent on all the stakeholders in a crime, addressing individual needs, as well as finding someone guilty or not-guilty.”
This report is the third inspection into the experience of victims and witnesses conducted by the CJI since 2005. Of the 37 recommendations made in the initial report only two remain outstanding with the report. Much work has been done thus describing this as a ‘creditable performance’.