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Victims of crime law planned by government Victims of crime law planned by government
(about 2 hours later)
The rights of victims of crime in England and Wales are to be enshrined in law, the justice secretary has said. Crime victims in England and Wales are to be given legal rights for the first time, the justice secretary has said.
Chris Grayling says a Victims' Law will include the right for them to be kept informed about their case and to confront offenders in court. Chris Grayling says the proposed law will see victims kept informed about their case and courts will allow most to provide a personal impact statement.
It would replace the existing code of practice and be the first time victims' rights were enshrined in law. Separate plans will see a victims' information service set up next March and see more child witnesses film their evidence before a trial starts.
However, Labour accused the government of "letting down" victims, saying the plan looked "cobbled together". Labour is to outline its own proposals for victims in the coming weeks.
Range of supportRange of support
Under a reform of the law, publicly funded lawyers will also have to take specialist training before working on serious sex offence cases. At the moment, a victims' code sets out guidance for courts, police and the probation service. The proposed law, which will be subject to a bill in the next Parliament, will enshrine several of its measures into legislation.
Mr Grayling said the current legal system could be daunting and traumatic for victims. The code's entitlement for victims to tell the sentencing judge and offender how a crime has impacted their life through a statement is among the measures that will become law.
He said: "For the first time we will create a system that puts the highest emphasis on victims' needs and sets out their rights clearly in legislation." The information service will include a helpline and website and aims to guide victims to support services.
At the moment, victims can choose to tell the court and offender how a crime has impacted their life by reading out a statement to be taken into account by judges considering the sentence. Ministers will also consult on plans to pay compensation up front to victims - many have had to wait years in the past - and courts will be modernised to include separate waiting areas for victims and defendants.
The Victim Information Service is set to include a helpline and website and the reforms could also see more powers given to watchdogs. Publicly-funded lawyers will also be required to have specialist training before working on serious sex offence cases.
Mr Grayling said victims often found it difficult to know who to go to under the existing system and that having one source of information and help would make it easier for them. Mr Grayling said the current legal system could be daunting for victims.
Such help would include tracking the progress of the case, applying for compensation, knowing what to expect in court, or understanding the range of support available, he said. "Victims, especially the most vulnerable, can find it traumatic and difficult to know where to turn to for advice and support," he said.
'Clear message' "We are also making it easier for them to find whatever it is they need by establishing one simple source of information and help - be it tracking the progress of their case, applying for compensation, knowing what to expect in court, or understanding the range of support available to them."
Mark Castle, chief executive of Victim Support, said he welcomed the measures. Child witnesses
He said: "Our witness service team, who work behind the scenes in court, see every day just how distressing it can be... especially for victims of a violent or sexual crime. The government is hoping to extend a pilot scheme in three Crown Courts that allows children to be cross-examined before trials, away from court, with their evidence filmed and later shown on video during a trial.
"Putting victims' rights in law sends a clear message to police, prosecutors and the courts that addressing the needs of victims is central to their work - it cannot be an optional extra. Concerns had previously been raised about how children were affected by the court process - with reports of one victim who was cross-examined for 12 days by seven defence barristers.
He said it was essential all lawyers had specialist training, particularly if a case involved cross-examining a child and stressed the charity would continue working with the legal profession to secure this. If successful, the scheme will be apply to all child witnesses by the end of 2017 and may also be extended to include vulnerable adult witnesses.
"We will continue to push for policy makers to make sure people affected by crime get the help they need and respect they deserve." The chief executive of the charity Victim Support, Mark Castle, said: "Children and other vulnerable victims and witnesses should not have to face the trauma of giving evidence in a court building, unless they choose to."
Last year, £29m from offenders in fines and confiscations was dedicated to boosting restorative justice. He added: "Our witness service team, who work behind the scenes in court, see every day just how distressing it can be... especially for victims of a violent or sexual crime.
The Ministry of Justice said the programme helped cut the frequency of reoffending by 14%. "Putting victims' rights in law sends a clear message to police, prosecutors and the courts that addressing the needs of victims is central to their work - it cannot be an optional extra."
But shadow justice secretary Sadiq Khan said the government had consistently "let down" victims. 'Back of an envelope'
He said the government had let them down by cutting compensation for innocent victims of violent crime and leaving the position of victims commissioner vacant for almost a year and then making the role part time. BBC home affairs correspondent Danny Shaw says the announcement may be seen as an attempt to pre-empt Labour plans for a victims' law.
Shadow justice secretary Sadiq Khan said the party's taskforce had consulted widely over the past year.
He said the government had let down victims by cutting compensation for innocent victims of violent crime and leaving the position of victims' commissioner vacant for almost a year, before making the role part time.
Mr Khan said Downing Street had also wanted to reduce prison sentences by half if criminals entered a guilty plea, closed down rape centres and courts, and cut resources for Victim Support.Mr Khan said Downing Street had also wanted to reduce prison sentences by half if criminals entered a guilty plea, closed down rape centres and courts, and cut resources for Victim Support.
"This announcement looks like it's been cobbled together on the back of an envelope, in the dying months of this government," he added."This announcement looks like it's been cobbled together on the back of an envelope, in the dying months of this government," he added.
Have you been a victim of crime and felt you needed more support and information about your case? Do you think you would have benefited from a Victims' Law? Email your experiences to haveyoursay@bbc.co.ukhaveyoursay@bbc.co.ukHave you been a victim of crime and felt you needed more support and information about your case? Do you think you would have benefited from a Victims' Law? Email your experiences to haveyoursay@bbc.co.ukhaveyoursay@bbc.co.uk
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