This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Services for victims of crime
28/11/2005
A review of the Scottish Strategy for Victims, first published in 2001, is made public today recommending the next steps required to improve delivery of services.
Deputy Justice Minister Hugh Henry said improved training for support staff, a revamped website, and better links between support services are set to feature in the next phase of work.
The review by the Victim Steering Group highlights the need to:
- Improve the supply of information to victims
- Strengthen partnership working between the agencies and organisations that support victims of crime
- Provide more and better training for staff and volunteers working with victims
- Ensure those working on the frontline use language victims can understand
In total the review makes 60 recommendations, all of which have been endorsed by the Executive which now intends to:
Complete an assessment of provision of services to victims at local level
- Publish guidelines to help with the evaluation of training
- Revamp the Victims of Crime website and leaflet to include an outline of the criminal justice system, information about sentencing and links to support organisations
- Make information available to victims in a variety of languages and formats
- Encourage the use of IT to improve information sharing between professionals so that organisations can work together better to meet victims' needs
The Executive will also draw up a detailed action plan outlining the work that will be undertaken over the next three years to be published in Spring 2006.
Mr Henry said:
"Significant improvements have been made in the services provided to victims since the Strategy was published. Though being a victim of serious crime is actually quite rare, more still needs to be done. That is why the Executive, in conjunction with key stakeholders, has undertaken this timely review of the Strategy.
"Nothing can ever undo the damage caused by a crime, but we can, and will, strive to ensure that the agencies that victims rely on work together to provide appropriate support and information to ensure that victims' needs are recognised and addressed.
"The improvements made so far are the result of the hard work, commitment and collaboration of public, voluntary and professional bodies working in Scotland's justice and children's hearings systems. I want to build on that effort by improving services further.
"The review is not an end in itself. It builds on existing multi-agency commitments to victims' welfare. The challenge now is to implement its recommendations. As we do so we will continue to provide regular reports on the work being done to advance victims' interests."