This is on top of a share for Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) of the GB pound 66 million each year central Government already dedicates to services supporting victims and witnesses.
Under plans set out by the Ministry of Justice, democratically-elected PCCs will act as commissioners for a range of victims’ services in their local area.
They will commission emotional and practical support services which help individuals cope with, and recover from, the consequences of crime, ensuring that services meet local needs, represent value for money and deliver real outcomes for victims.
Democratic reform of policing
Nick Herbert, the minister for policing and criminal justice, explained that the arrival of Police and Crime Commissioners “will be the most significant democratic reform of policing in our lifetime”.
He commented: “How victims are treated is essential to maintaining public trust in policing and the criminal justice system. That is why the Government has decided that funding for a range of services will be devolved to democratically elected and accountable Police and Crime Commissioners. The needs of victims vary locally and PCCs, much more so than central Government, will be best placed to decide what their communities want.”
PCCs will also be required to consult with victims in setting the policing priorities in their local area. This will ensure that, for the first time, victims of crime have a clear role in determining what the police should focus on and how.
On 15 November 2012 the public will take to the polls to elect 41 Police and Crime Commissioners across England and Wales.
Victim Support “disappointed” with plans for PCCs to ‘buy’ victims’ services
Responding to Justice Secretary Ken Clarke’s decision on the future of victims’ services, national charity Victim Support has expressed serious disappointment at the Government’s decision to hand control of victims’ services budgets to the new PCCs.
The Government’s decision comes despite the fact that 136 out of 196 respondents to the Ministry of Justice’s own consultation oppose plans to break up the highly-regarded services on which hundreds of thousands of victims and witnesses depend.
Victim Support welcomes some of the measures that have been announced, as well as the new responsibilities PCCs will have for listening to victims and witnesses. However, the charity remains deeply concerned that local commissioning will not be cost-effective and will lead to “patchy” victims’ services.
The charity will continue to seek safeguards to ensure victims and witnesses have access to high quality services wherever they live in England and Wales and that their personal information is protected at all times.
Fears concerning local commissioning
The fears about local commissioning are shared by numerous individuals and organisations including:
- a delegation of Coalition MPs, to be led by Priti Patel, Conservative MP for Witham, who are meeting with justice ministers to discuss why the Government’s proposals are not in the best interests of victims and witnesses
- national organisations including Liberty, the Police Federation and the charity NSPCC
- an alliance of 29 victims charities, including Escaping Victimhood and the Jimmy Mizen Foundation, who have submitted written concerns to Government
- 44 MPs who have signed an Early Day Motion to raise the issues in Parliament
- over 12,000 members of the public who have signed a petition against the proposals
Even by the Government’s own estimate, as far as Victim Support’s concerned the cost of this change will mean the loss of intensive support for 25,000 victims of domestic violence and support for 20,000 victims of antisocial behaviour.
Victims and witnesses “first in all respects”
Adam Pemberton, the assistant CEO of Victim Support, said: “While we welcome the continuation of the national witness service and the ambition for extra funding for victims, we are extremely disappointed that the Government has not put victims and witnesses of crime first in all respects.”
He went on to state: “Not only has the Government chosen to ignore the massed voices of Parliamentarians, professional bodies, experts from the sector and the public but the argument is, in places, confused. If it’s right for Witness Services to be delivered nationally, then why is the help that victims of crime receive not to be treated in the same way?”
70% of respondents have said local commissioning is not in the best interests of victims and witnesses, yet the Government has not listened.
“Despite the Government’s unfounded suggestions of ‘inflexibility’ and a ‘one-size fits all model’,” continued Pemberton, “Victim Support provides excellent value for money, economies of scale and ultimately a very high user satisfaction rate of 94%. So why change what works?”
In conclusion, Pemberton stressed: “Governments come and go, but Victim Support has nearly 40 years’ experience helping and standing up for victims and witnesses. Our commitment to this will not stop.”
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