Terms of reference: Meeting the needs of victims in the criminal justice system
Overview
Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services is conducting an inspection of how effectively the criminal justice system (CJS) meets the needs of victims. This is a joint inspection with Her Majesty’s Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate and Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Probation.
During our inspection, we will assess the quality of communication and support for victims at every stage of the CJS. We will also assess how effectively the criminal justice agencies (the police, the Crown Prosecution Service and the Probation Service) work together to meet the needs of victims.
Our inspection is designed to:
- assess whether there is effective leadership and governance to support the needs of victims through the CJS;
- assess the extent to which the criminal justice agencies meet the needs of every victim as their case progresses through the CJS;
- assess how well the police, the Probation Service and the Crown Prosecution Service comply with the Code of Practice for Victims of Crime – and if they breach the code, how this is identified and managed;
- establish how well the criminal justice agencies understand victim satisfaction; assess how effectively criminal justice agencies manage satisfaction levels at each stage of a victim’s journey through the CJS;
- assess the effectiveness of police decision-making when deciding to actively investigate reports of crime and examine how these decisions are communicated to victims;
- assess how effective forces are at identifying and managing the vulnerability and risk associated with vulnerable victims of crime, including whether they make appropriate referrals to support services and safeguarding;
- assess how effectively the criminal justice agencies work and communicate with one another when it comes to meeting victims’ needs;
- assess how effectively criminal justice agencies communicate with victims at every stage of the CJS;
- assess how effectively the police, the CPS and the Probation Service identify areas of concern and plan to implement changes; and
- identify effective practice and lessons learned.
We will report on our findings in summer 2023. In our report, we will highlight elements of good practice and make recommendations when we identify areas for improvement.
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Terms of reference: Meeting the needs of victims in the criminal justice system