Witness Care Units

Three Witness Care Units (WCUs) were established in Derbyshire during 2005, providing practical help and support to victims and witnesses appearing at the county's five courts.

Each WCU is staffed by a team of Witness Care Officers, who provide a single point of contact for victims and witnesses throughout the life of a case, from when the defendant is charged through to sentencing.

The Units have been set up as part of the No Witness, No Justice project, a joint police / Crown Prosecution Service initiative that aims to ensure that witnesses are better informed, better prepared and better supported throughout any court proceedings.

More information about No Witness, No Justice

Witness Care Officers carry out a full needs assessment with witnesses to identify what support they need to enable them to attend court.

The needs assessment is an opportunity for witnesses to flag any issues that may prevent them attending court to give evidence, such as difficulties over childcare or transport provision, medical problems or disabilities, language difficulties, or concerns over intimidation.  Some witnesses may simply need reassurance about what to expect when they get to the court.

The Witness Care Officer will co-ordinate the support needed to address these concerns and assist the witness in attending court. 

They can explain how the criminal justice process works and what the witness can expect to happen when they go to court.  They can also provide relevant phone numbers for witnesses to call to find out information such as bus and train times so they can get to court, local child minding agencies, or even someone who can help look after the family pet for the day!  Where appropriate they can manage referrals to local agencies that are able to provide specialist assistance, such as Victim Support, women's refuge groups or interpreters.

The Witness Care Officers will provide updates about the progress of the case, and at the end of the trial make sure that victims and witnesses are told about the result and sentencing, thanked for their help with the case and offered further support if they need it.