‘Tell your story and help make a difference to the experience of others’

Criminal Justice Inspection Northern Ireland and Victim Support Northern Ireland are encouraging victims and witnesses of crime to share their experience of the criminal justice system in an effort to improve how victims and witnesses are treated in the future.

Criminal Justice Inspection Northern Ireland launched its victims and witnesses survey on 20 September to collate the first-hand experiences of victims and witnesses of crime on their journey through the criminal justice system.

 

“We are delighted with the response we have received from the public to the confidential survey so far,” said Derek Williamson, Lead Inspector with Criminal Justice Inspection Northern Ireland.

 

“We have heard from a wide range of victims and witnesses who have shared both the positive and negative experiences they have had as a result of their involvement with the police, the prosecution service or the courts over the last three years.

 

“However, we believe that with less than two weeks to go until the survey ends on 31 October 2010, there are victims and witnesses who have not yet taken part in the survey, whose experience would be invaluable in helping to inform our inspection of the treatment of victims and witnesses by the criminal justice system in Northern Ireland,” said Mr Williamson.

 

“We would urge all victims and witnesses who have not yet done so to visit the CJI website www.cjini.org or contact the Inspectorate on 028 90 258000 and take this opportunity to tell their story by participating in our survey to help to improve the experience of future victims and witnesses of crime.

 

Mr Williamson stressed that Inspectors were particularly keen to hear from those people who had been a victim or witness to a serious crime; such as an incident involving a death, a sexual crime, a serious assault or an incident of domestic violence.

 

Susan Reid, Chief Executive of Victim Support Northern Ireland said: “We want to encourage victims and witnesses to participate in this survey, because by sharing their story they could help someone else. If you feel that telling your story could be upsetting we want to reassure you that we’re here to support you through the process.”

 

In conclusion, Mr Williamson said: “On behalf of Criminal Justice Inspection Northern Ireland, I would express my thanks to everyone who has given their time and participated already in the victims and witnesses survey.

 

“I would also like to thank Victim Support Northern Ireland for their assistance and once again urge anyone who has not yet taken the opportunity to tell us how they were treated to do so before the end of October,” he said.