News

Dame Vera Baird called for assurances from HMCTS that pressures on the court system, including the growing case backlog, would not "outweigh the potential adverse impacts on victims and witnesses".

Victims’ Commissioner and Domestic Abuse Commissioner say "little progress" has been made since the HMICFRS Honour Based Abuse inspection recommendations in 2015 and call for a follow-up inspection.

Dame Vera Baird urges the Commission to consult widely with the VAWG sector on the creation of any new offences.

Jane Gordon from Sisters For Change joins Dame Vera Baird to discuss her recent report, its recommendations and the concept of victim as 'participant' in the criminal justice process.

The police data on honour-based abuse "shows we are doing these victims a disservice," says Victims' Commissioner.

Dame Vera says some of the most vulnerable people in society suffer significant, avoidable harm in fear fear that criminal justice authorities will treat them as a questionable immigrant, not a victim. "This has to stop," she says, "and I am pleased to see HMICFRS has recognised this in its report."

A comprehensive review of how victims are dealt with in other adversarial systems shows England & Wales lag other countries in providing substantive victim participatory rights.

Dame Vera Baird has written to the Minister for State for Crime and Policing, Kit Malthouse MP, to discuss the police recording of hate crime.

In her consultation response, Dame Vera Baird welcomes the initiative to consider how to make the parole process more open, while urging the Ministry of Justice to be mindful of the potential for traumatising victims.

New research reveals the Victims' Commissioner needs an enhanced role and powers to ensure entitlements under the Victims' Code are properly delivered and agencies held to account.