Sally Fox & Jan Bebbington

 Funding for providing victims services now held by the
PCC as of 2014 so that local services can be better tailored to local need.
 The PCC in A&S prefers a police-led approach to the assessment of victim need.
 Avon and Somerset are one of just 4 ‘early adopter’ areas who are path finders and have implemented a specialised unit for Victim & Witness Care.
 From October 2014, the police are now responsible for identifying vulnerable / intimidated / persistently targeted victims at the front end, and assessing their needs in accordance with VCoP.
 This will sit alongside a range of locally funded support services to meet the more specialist victim needs. We will have duty to ensure victims are referred to this service as required.
Integrated Victim Care Programme R E S T R I C T E D

The victim’s code of practice (VCOP) defines 4 distinct
‘cohorts’ of victims who should qualify for an ‘enhanced
service’ and referral to support
Victims of the most serious crime
 Domestic abuse
 Hate crime
 Sexual offences
 Human trafficking
 Wounding / causing grievous bodily harm with intent
 Arson with intent to endanger life
Persistently targeted victims
 Terrorism
 Attempted murder
 False imprisonment
 Kidnap
A victim that has been targeted repeatedly as a direct victim of crime over a period of time; particularly if they have been deliberately targeted; or they are a victim of a sustained campaign of harassment or stalking.
Vulnerable victims
All victims who are under 18 years of age at the time of the offence.
Victims whose quality of the evidence is likely to be affected because they:
 suffer from mental disorder within the meaning of the Mental Health Act 1983
 have a significant impairment of intelligence and social functioning
 have a physical disability or is suffering from a physical disorder.
Intimidated victims
Victims whose quality of evidence may be affected because of fear or distress about testifying in court.
When assessing whether a victim is intimidated, the service provider must take account of:
 behaviour towards the victim on the part of the accused, members of the family or associates of the accused, and any other person who is likely to be an accused or witness in a potential court case
 the nature and alleged circumstance of the offence to which a potential court case relates. Victims of a sexual offence or human trafficking will automatically be considered to be intimidated
 the victim’s age and, if relevant, the victim’s social and cultural background, religious beliefs or political opinions, ethnic origin, domestic and employment circumstances.
Integrated Victim Care Programme R E S T R I C T E D

“Seeing it all together like this makes you realise how disjointed our current process is”
Complaint investigator
CPS complaints coordinator
PSD
The ASCJB integrated victims study found that a victim may have contact with up to 30 different CJ professionals and support organisations during their journey to justice.
There were vast number of roles / people involved in direct contact with victims and witnesses. All had a distinct and valid purpose, but was scope for simplifying the landscape in some areas.
Victim &
Witness Liaison
Officer’s colleague
Court
Clerk
Victim &
Witness Liaison
Officer
Skyguard operative
Restorative
Justice facilitator
Bobby van
Restorative justice coordinator
Witness
Service trial support
Court
Compensation
Dept
Probation complaints coordinator
OIC
Witness
Service
PTV
FLO
OIC’s colleague
Viper
Operative
IDVA
/ISVA
Crime
Support
Officer
Probation
Victim
Liaison
Officer
Integrated Victim Care Programme
Victim
Advocate
Victim
Support
VCU
Call handler
CMU
SAIT officer
Instructed
Advocate
SARC /
FME
CPS
Lawyer
PNC
Bureau
CPS ‘DCV’
Victim
Support volunteer
R E S T R I C T E D

Integrated Victim Care Programme
What we’ve been doing:
 Detailed process mapping
 Victim consultation and focus groups
 Staff meetings and workshops
 Rapid Action Teams ( x3 )
 Dragons Den
 FPoC Pilot Team 1
 Lighthouse DV Pilot Bristol
R E S T R I C T E D

Area Manager
(Bristol)
Team Leaders
Victim & Witness Care
Officers
Team Support Officer
Partner agencies, support organisations, volunteers, restorative justice practitioners
Area Manager
(North-East)
Team Leaders
Victim & Witness Care
Officers
Team Support Officer
Partner agencies, support organisations, volunteers, restorative justice practitioners
Area Manager
(Somerset)
Team Leaders
Victim & Witness Care
Officers
Team Support Officer
Partner agencies, support organisations, volunteers, restorative justice practitioners
 Fits within ‘Managing
People and Places’ alongside MASH, IRIS,
IMPACT
 Close links with criminal justice through co-location in
North and South
 Mobility and scope to set up ‘spokes’ according to operational need
 Service aligned with 3 main local policing areas
 Integrated Restorative justice ‘hubs’
Integrated Victim Care Programme R E S T R I C T E D

First Point of
Contact
•Initial tier assessment –
•Vulnerable?
•Intimidated?
•Persistently targeted?
•Serious crime?
•=> ENHANCED
Victim & Witness Care Officer: single point of contact for victim
First contact
(enhanced victims)
•Introductions, Risk / needs assessment,
Contact Strategy,
Expectation management / ‘What happens next’, Crime prevention advice & target hardening measures, Safety planning, Safeguarding referrals, Onward referral to support for those with ‘complex needs’
During
Investigation
(enhanced victims)
•In liaison with OIC:
Maintain Risk / needs assessment, Liaise with partners to coordinate support and contact, ongoing expectation management / ‘What happens next’, victim personal statements, arranging RJ interventions
During CJS
(all victims & witnesses)
•Updates on progress,
Update risk / needs assessment, warning for court, practical arrangements for court attendance, summonses, arrange pre-trial visits, victim personal statements, special measures applications, liaison with OIC and partners
(Court, CPS etc), onward referral to
Probation VCS, appeals,
RJ interventions
Integrated Victim Care Programme
Management and support team = staff supervision, dealing with day-to-day tactical and operational issues, attending partnership meetings (case progression, MARACs, PTPM etc), development of service & building partnership arrangements, training /development of staff, complaints handling and coordination, strategic leadership, responding to national policy guidance and changes in legislation, voice to PCC and organisation, website management.
R E S T R I C T E D

Better for the Public
• Victim service defined by need not offence type
• Simplified referral mechanisms so victims have clearer route to access support
• Fully compliant with Victim’s Code of Practice and EU Directive
• Holistic management of offender and victim issues.
• Clear links to safeguarding arrangements to ensure risks effectively managed and escalated
Simpler for
Staff &
Partners
• Reduced process silos that over-complicate the victim journey and create confusion for staff
• Integrated Victim Care Team to retain continuity of contact with victims – supporting OIC with obtaining statements as required
• Clarity over roles and responsibilities and clearer lines of accountability
Value for
Money
• Co-location makes process more efficient – Integrated Support services
• Strong links between Integrated Victim Care and Safeguarding– ‘one team’ and greater resilience
• A more cohesive multi-agency approach to reduce duplication and overlap; a simpler victim journey
• Better problem solving and support arrangements to reduce repeat victimisation and demand

• Gives the victim a chance to meet or communicate with their offender to explain the real impact of their crime.
• Empowers victims by giving them a voice.
Holds offenders to account for what they have done and helps them take responsibility. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WrEApuJ-DTE
BRISTOL
RJ Co-ordinator
BRIDGWATER
RJ Co-ordinator
RJ Facilitator – Post Sentence
KEYNSHAM
RJ Co-ordinator
Integrated Victim Care Programme R E S T R I C T E D