Voice-AS21-22-05

Our commissioner It is my role to commission the services that support victims and witnesses of crime and that is a responsibility I take very seriously. For some people, being a victim of crime can be devastating and it is only right that they should be able to ask for, and receive, justice. Alongside that, victims and witnesses should have effective support to help them through the system and then go on their lives. As the person responsible for victim services in Northamptonshire, I want victims of crime to be protected and supported as they engage with a criminal justice system that swiftly and efficiently responds to their needs. The Covid pandemic has had an enormous impact on the criminal justice system locally, creating a backlog of cases in both Magistrates and Crown Courts. The backlog is easing but victims and witnesses are still waiting longer to have their cases heard than they did before the pandemic. These delays cause pain, uncertainty, and anxiety for both victims and witnesses. The practical and emotional support offered by Voice can be a great support, not only improving the outcome for the person concerned but potentially ensuring that they stay engaged with the justice process. Voice supports victims and witnesses of all kinds of crime and anti-social behaviour. Voice is the front door that gives access to a range of specialist support including the Sunflower centre, which supports high-risk victims of domestic abuse; specialists to support victims of sexual abuse, and skilled staff to support those bereaved by road traffic incidents. Each element of this service is vitally important not just to the individual but also to the wider community as it is in all our interests that victims and witnesses stay engaged and see an offender dealt with, not left free to reoffend. So I am pleased that in this most difficult of years for the criminal justice system, to see clear evidence that Voice has not only supported a significant number of people, but also of how that support has made a difference. Victims will continue to be my focus, ensuring they get the service they deserve from the police and the criminal justice system. The support provided to victims and witnesses by Voice, a locally commissioned and delivered service, has a key part to play in delivering that aim. Stephen Mold Northamptonshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner