Victim and Witness Support

 Victim and Witness Support

If you report a crime you can expect:

  • The police to investigate the crime.
  • In most cases, to be contacted by Victim Support - unless you ask the police not to pass on your details.
  • To be told (if you ask to be) by the police or the Crown Prosecution Service if the charge is later dropped or downgraded.
  • If you are needed as a witness, to be given a 'Witness in Court' leaflet, and told the date of the trial.
  • If the case goes to Court, consideration to be given to making a compensation order in your favour.
  • To be told (if you ask to be) the result of the court case; in more serious cases, to be told (if you ask to be) the result of any appeal against conviction or sentence.
  • To be given advice about applying for compensation for personal injury from the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority, and
  • To be given crime prevention advice if you ask for it.
     

*Not all categories of crime are routinely referred to Victim Support by the police.

 

To Help make this possible, you should:

  • Report the crime to the police promptly.
  • Give the police full details of your injury or loss.
  • Tell the police if you want compensation.
  • Tell the police if you do not want them to tell Victim Support or the press.
  • Tell the police of any changes of address while the case remains unresolved; and contact Victim Support direct if you want to.
     

Victim Support

Victim Support offers a free, confidential service to victims of crime. Trained volunteers based in local schemes contact people following a crime to offer free, confidential support and information.

Victim Support is an independent national charity.

 

People are referred to Victim Support by the police and other organisations, or make direct contact themselves to ask for help.

  • Community Trigger

    Its purpose is to give victims and communities the right to request a formal review of their case where they think that no action has been taken or where they are all not satisfied with the action taken.

    If the Community Trigger threshold is met, agencies, including the Council, Police, Clinical Commissioning Groups and Registered Social Landlords, will share information, review what action had been taken and decide if additional actions are possible.

    Who can use the Community Trigger?

    • A victim of anti social behaviour or another persons acting on behalf of the victim.

    • An individual acting on behalf of a group of residents or community group.

    The Community Trigger is a tool for members of the public to request a review. This process should not be used for making complaints against individual member organisations of the Test Valley Partnership. If you are not satisfied with the service received from an individual organisation, please refer to their complaints procedure.

    In order for the Community Trigger process to be undertaken, reportees need to consent for their information to be shared with relevant bodies. If you are not happy for your information to be shared, please refer to individual organisations complaint procedures.

    The Community Trigger Threshold.

    In order for a Community Trigger to be activated, one of the following criteria must be met:

    At least three complaints of Anti-Social Behaviour have been made in the previous six months, where the individual reporting feels that no action has been taken or are not satisfied with the action taken.

    Or:

    At least five individuals in a local community have reported separately similar incidents of anti social behaviour to members of the Test Valley Partnership, and all five think that no action has been taken or are not satisfied with the action taken. The individual acting on behalf of the group must have all other individuals consent.

    In addition to the above, the following must also be met:

    • Complaints are to be related to Anti-Social Behaviour. This can be defined as behaviour causing harassment, alarm or distress.
    • The complaint must have been logged within one month of the incident

    During the period October 2015 - March 2015, No Community Triggers were received.

    During the year April 2015 - March 2016, No Community Triggers were received.

    During the period April  2017 - March 2018, No Community Triggers were received.

    During the year April 2019 - March 2020, 1 Community Trigger was made as a referral by the Community Safety Management Group as it did not meet the full criteria and was reviewed with input for the victim. A multi-agency action plan was agreed and implemented which resolved the issues raised.

    During the year April 2020 – March 2021,  No Community Triggers were received

    During the period April 2016- March 2017, two enquiries for Community Triggers were made. However, neither met the criteria. Of these, one was a live case under current investigation; the other was a compliant against a single agency and which was referred to that agencies own complaints procedure.