Recommendation date:
7 March, 2025 Agency:
HMCPSI; HMICFRS Document title:
Justice delayed: The impact of the Crown Court backlog on victims, victim services and the criminal justice system Status:
Awaiting response Recommendation:
HMCPSI and HMICFRS jointly carry out a review of victim-facing communications, from the time the case enters the court system up to, and including, sentencing. This review should consider the quality and consistency of communications.
Read recommendation detail
Given what victims have shared with us we would encourage this review to consider the following:
- Whether Witness Care Units, which sit within policing and are not staffed by lawyers, are the best conduit for communication with victims. In particular, how effective are they at communicating key prosecutorial and judicial decisions?
- Whether the court to victim chain of communication can be streamlined to ensure victims are informed about key listing decisions, particularly adjournments, as soon as possible.
- How key information is shared between criminal justice agencies and whether joined up data systems can facilitate better communication.
- Whether victims are provided with sufficient information about the current extent of delays and the impact this may have on listing and sentencing.
- Whether victims are given sufficient explanation of the different types of listing and the likelihood of their trial going ahead depending on the listing type.
- Whether victims are given an explanation of the reasons for an adjournment.
- Whether victims are given adequate notice of sentencing hearings.
- Whether victims are given information prior to sentencing which prepares them for the likely sentence and once sentencing has taken place whether they are given an explanation of the sentence and in particular what this practically means.
- Whether there is a need for regular check-in calls with victims, regardless of whether there is a substantial update.
- The learning from the CPS Victim Liaison Officer (VLO) role.66 VLOs act as a single point of contact within the CPS and are currently offered to adult rape complainants.
- Although it is not a ‘whole system’ single point of contact, the review could consider the degree to which VLOs improve communication with victims