Are you OK with cookies?

We use small files called ‘cookies’ on victimscommissioner.org.uk. Some are essential to make the site work, some help us to understand how we can improve your experience, and some are set by third parties. You can choose to turn off the non-essential cookies. Which cookies are you happy for us to use?

Skip to content

Analysis of the offer and take-up of victim personal statements 2018 to 2019

Published:
Open document

Victim personal statements 2018/19 (PDF, 498.5 KB)

Contact us if you need this publication in another format.

Overview

Victim personal statements (VPS) are a key entitlement under the Victims’ Code. The VPS enables victims to make a statement expressing how they have been affected by a crime.

This is the fifth review looking at VPS data available from the Crime Survey for England and Wales. It looks at the 12 months ending March 2019, and compares this data to previous years starting from 2013-14.

For the year ending March 2019, few victims report that they were offered the opportunity to make a VPS by police and that their VPS was read aloud in court. Both levels have remained consistent since the question was first introduced to the Crime Survey for England and Wales.

In over half of incidents where victims were given the opportunity to make a VPS, victims decided to do so. There has been a sharp drop in the proportion of victims who feel that their statement has been taken into account by the criminal justice system.