CASE STUDY:
Virtual Victim Walkthrough
Many victims and witnesses experience acute anxiety at
the prospect of attending court to give evidence. To make it
less of an ordeal, the Home Office has recently launched a
‘virtual’ victim walkthrough on CJS online. The
walkthroughs provide a step-by-step account of the trial
process, and is available for victims now.
CASE STUDY:
Restorative Justice in the Thames Valley
A local newspaper reporter was hit in the face with a bottle
at a nightclub. The reporter agreed to attend a restorative
conference and this is how she described it: "The girl
[her attacker], in her 20s, was visibly shaking and was
obviously uncomfortable about being put in the hot seat. She
admitted, without being prompted, that she was sorry for
throwing the bottle and said she did not mean to hit anyone.
There were tears in her eyes and at one point she very
nearly burst out crying.
"It may sound callous but I was glad the meeting was
having this effect on her. It proved to me that the girl was
truly sorry for her actions and she’d not got off lightly.
I was very sceptical about restorative justice before the
meeting. But I came away feeling satisfied and
content."
CASE STUDY:
Tower Hamlets Victim Advocacy and Safety Counselling Service
Tower Hamlets is introducing a range of measures to
improve support for victims. It’s increasing their safety
by enabling them to make better use of legal protection and
other sanctions and services available, enhancing its
evidence gathering and improving inter-agency co-ordination
to increase the use of all available legal sanctions for
domestic and sexual violence offences. This will include a
Victim Advocacy and Safety Counselling Service based In
Victim Support, a Multi-agency Safety Planning Panel and a
Repeat Victimisation Police Policy.
CASE STUDY:
Helping victims with recycled mobile phones
Fones4safety is a scheme being piloted in the Elephant
and Castle area of London where reconditioned mobile phones
are being turned in to personal safety alarms. The phones
provide users with instant access to the emergency services
at the touch of a button. Initially, the phones are being
given free of charge to victims of crime and harassment and
those living in fear of crime, particularly victims of
domestic violence. Other groups being targeted include older
people, sick and disabled.
