Victims, Courts and Public Protection Bill
“Legislation will be brought forward to … strengthen support
for victims”
- This Government was elected on a promise to deliver a justice
system that puts the needs of victims first.
- This Bill will deliver on that commitment and mission to take
back our streets by strengthening public protections, reducing
delays in the criminal courts and ensuring that victims get the
support they deserve.
What does the Bill do?
- This Bill will make good on our commitment to deliver a
justice system that gives victims the justice system they deserve
and ensure victims of crime and anti social behaviour get the
support they deserve.
- The Bill will include measures that:
-
ensure victims of crime and
antisocial behaviour get the support they deserve.
-
strengthen powers for the Victims'
Commissioner to ensure that they are empowered to
hold the system to account for the needs of victims not being
met.
-
require offenders to attend their sentencing
hearings so that victims and bereaved family members
of deceased victims see criminals face the consequences of
their actions.
-
protect the public from sex offenders,
restricting parental responsibility for child sex offenders
and implementing restrictions on sex offenders changing their
names.
-
reduce delays in the courts system by
allowing Associate Prosecutors to work on appropriate
cases.
- In addition to the Bill, we will deliver on our manifesto
commitment to fast-track rape cases, with specialist courts at
every Crown Court.
Territorial extent and application
- The territorial extent and application is to be confirmed,
but the Bill is expected to extend and apply to England and
Wales.
Key facts
- The Crime Survey for England and Wales to year ending
December 2023 found that 34.7 per cent of adults (over 16) either
experienced or witnessed anti social Behaviour in their local
area. The police recorded 1 million anti social behaviour
incidents in 2023.
- 21.2 per cent of adults in England and Wales to year ending
December 2023, disagree that police and local council are dealing
with the anti social behaviour and crime issues that matter in
the local area (Crime Survey for England and Wales data).
-
- The original End-to-End Rape Review found that lengthy delays
for victims ahead of their trial date can be damaging to their
mental health and wellbeing.
- Professor Katrin Hohl, Independent Adviser to the Rape
Review, developed the largest ever survey of rape and sexual
violence victims. This survey found that the leading reasons for
victims withdrawing their cases were citing the negative impacts
of the case on their mental health and stating they did not feel
supported enough through the process.
- The Victims Commissioner, said that “as
Victims' Commissioner, one of my priorities is ensuring victims
of anti social behaviour feel heard, respected and supported
when they come forward.”
- Farah Naz, bereaved relative of Zara Aleena said on new court
powers to order offenders to attend sentencing hearings: “the
sentencing would have been McSweeney's opportunity to be ‘human'
and to ‘face his actions', and that his absence had been
‘a slap in the face'”.
