"Victims Voices" Seminar

(Neil Anderson, Director of NSPCC Northern Ireland with Justice Minister David Ford and CEO of Victim Support NI, Susan Reid).

On 15th November, Victim Support NI and NSPCC NI called for the voice of victims to be listened to by the justice system. At a joint seminar they highlighted the experiences of children and adults of the criminal justice system in Northern Ireland and the need for better support for all victims of crime.

Both organisations presented research into the experiences of the criminal justice system which shows that long delays and a lack of information and appropriate support means many withdraw from the process. They are jointly calling for an increased focus on avoidable attrition in order to understand how this might be minimised and victims better supported.

Susan Reid, CEO of Victim Support NI said:
"No one is better place to tell us what works or doesn't work than victims and witnesses who have experienced crime and journeyed through the system. We don't need to look to other countries for policies, when victims and witnesses here know what would make the system work better. We should have local solutions to local problems.

"As citizens we should be striving for a justice system that helps everyone involved achieve their best evidence, creating a system we can have confidence in."

At the event, Justice Minister David Ford reinforced his commitment to improving services for victims.

Mr Ford said: "The voices of victims must be listened to by everyone working in the criminal justice system. We have much to learn from those who have been directly affected by crime, and I commend the NSPCC and Victim Support for enabling these important voices to be heard."

"We are bringing forward a new strategy for victims and witnesses next year, and our aim is to make engaging with the criminal justice system a more positive experience. This event is a great opportunity to explore where we should be targeting our efforts to improve performance."

A PDF of Susan Reid's address to the delegates can be downloaded here.

Date Posted: 17 Nov 2011