Standard 7: Victim and Witness support

7.1   In our dealings with victims and witnesses, we pay particular attention to our duty to promote equality of access to justice.

7.2   A Witness Care Officer, or in special cases, a police officer or a Family Bereavement Officer [see Note below], is allocated to each case as a single point of contact for the victims and witnesses from first appearance to the end of the case. He or she keeps victims and witnesses informed about the case's progress at all stages of the court proceedings, and seeks to ensure that their needs are met. He or she also ensures that the victim has made, or has been asked if they wish to make, a Victim Personal Statement to be read to the court if the defendant pleads guilty or is convicted.

[Note: Family Bereavement Officers (sometimes known as Family Liaison Officers) are specially trained police officers who provide a link between investigators, prosecutors and the victim's family in cases involving a death.]

7.3   Where a defendant pleads not guilty, a Witness Care Officer:

a)  notifies witnesses required to give live evidence of the date of the trial within a strict time period of receiving this information from the prosecution service;

b)  following a not guilty plea, offers lay witnesses who are required to attend court a full needs assessment. This provides them with an opportunity to discuss their concerns about attending court, including, for example, help with childcare and transport issues. It also enables the Witness Care Officer to explore with the witnesses whether there is a need for special measures to enable them to give their evidence effectively;

c)  makes special arrangements, if required, for disabled witnesses, witnesses with medical conditions and those who require communication aids such as an interpreter, seeking the court's permission where necessary;

d)  where appropriate, refers a witness to another agency, such as a relevant support group, which offers more specific, tailored help; and

e)  puts witnesses in touch with the Witness Service, [Note: The Witness Service is part of a national charity that provides support to witnesses before and during a criminal trial.] which provides them with practical and emotional support in the lead-up to the trial, on the day of trial and, in appropriate cases, afterwards, including providing witnesses with an opportunity to visit the court before the trial date to help them to gain a better understanding of the court process and to make them feel more at ease on the day of trial. Some of this support may be provided by Victim Support.

7.4   Witness Care Officers carry out similar functions when a witness is required to attend a higher court for an appeal hearing.

7.5   When a case is concluded, a Witness Care Officer informs victims and lay witnesses of the outcome by their preferred means of contact within a strict time period of receiving the result from the court. They also ask them if they need help from any relevant support service.

7.6   In appropriate cases prosecutors offer to meet witnesses personally to discuss their need for special measures.

7.7   In some very exceptional cases we ask the court for permission to withhold the identity of a witness where this can be justified.

7.8   In cases involving a death, prosecutors offer to meet the victim's family from an early stage to explain how the case will be handled and what is expected to happen at each court hearing. [Note: This is known as the Victim Focus Scheme. More details are available on the CPS website.]