Victims’ Commissioner’s report on the impact of court delays on victims

Responding to the Victims’ Commissioner for England and Wales’s report on the impact of the courts backlog on victims, victim services and the wider criminal justice system, the APCC’s joint Leads on the Criminal Justice System, Donna Jones and Danielle Stone, said:

“We welcome the Victims’ Commissioner’s report highlighting the additional trauma being caused to victims because of court delays and adjournments. As PCCs we have long called for focused intervention to tackle the failings that cause such delays. Each of us, through the local victim services we fund and through our leadership of our Local Criminal Justice Boards, hear similar stories of victims being let down by our criminal justice system.

“We all need to come together to drive improvements that see a steady fall in the backlog of cases. Our criminal justice system depends on victims coming forward to give evidence. We risk offenders walking free if the system continues to let victims down.”

Notes

• Donna Jones is APCC joint Lead on the Criminal Justice System, and Police and Crime Commissioner for Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.
• Danielle Stone is APCC joint Lead on the Criminal Justice System, and Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner for Northamptonshire.
• Baroness Newlove’s report can be found on the Victims’ Commissioner’s website.