Victim's Charter
Foreword by the Home Secretary
I am determined to put the needs of victims closer
to the heart of the criminal justice process. The Victim’s
Charter, introduced by the previous Government in 1996
and building on the first Charter in 1990, made a good
start in outlining the standards of service to which
victims are entitled. I regard this as an interim measure
and am determined to do more.
The Government White Paper ‘Justice For All’,
published on 17 July 2002, outlined some of the advances
we have made over the last five years. It also detailed
our future plans. Victims and witnesses are at the centre
of those plans, as we strive to create a criminal justice
system which is fair to everyone.
I am in the process of drawing up a new code of practice
for victims which is binding on the criminal justice
agencies. I am also planning to appoint a Commissioner
for Victims and Witnesses to monitor the code, to advise
on changes to it and to promote the interests of victims
in general. And a new procedure will be established,
as part of the Parliamentary Ombudsman structure, to
investigate complaints from victims when things go wrong.
These important new developments will represent a significant
step forward in improving services for all victims of
crime. In the meantime, the standards outlined in this
Charter should guarantee services that are already regarded
as among the best in the world. I look forward to making
them even better.
David Blunkett |
