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European Victims' Week
18/02/2008
European Victims' week kicks off today with Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill pledging the Scottish Government's commitment to victims of crime.
The Government's first budget provides increases in support for victims and witnesses through:
- Promoting Equality to enhance services for victims of domestic abuse and serious sexual assaults
- the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service to better assist victims of serious offences and vulnerable witnesses
- the Scottish Court Service to improve the service for all court users, including victims, witnesses and their families
- by continuing funding for valuable services such as Victim Support Scotland (VSS)
At the Glasgow office of Victim Support Scotland, Mr MacAskill said:
"Victims of crime are always the innocent party. Often through no more than a quirk of fate or chance encounter they find themselves thrust into the criminal justice system.
"Compounding the trauma of the crime itself, the process of being interviewed by the police, and perhaps having to go to court and even give evidence is often a distressing experience. We owe it to victims to do all that we can to support them.
"We are taking direct action by working to roll out victim statements and extend the Victim Notification Scheme. In practical terms, we are aiming to make services more responsive to victims - by working with VSS to improve the ways in which the needs of victims are assessed, and measuring how those needs are met.
"Ultimately what we and the public want is to see fewer victims of crime full stop. Fewer people dealing with the physical, emotional, social, physical and economic problems that comes with victimisation.
"We believe that prevention is better than cure in the long-term fight against crime. That means tackling the root causes of crime like drink, drugs and deprivation. It means intervening earlier to help those at greatest risk of falling into offending because of the circumstances they are born into.
"We've already set out our commitment to a more visible policing presence on Scotland's streets and make an additional 1,000 officers available in our communities.
"We are now not just delivering on that, we are going substantially beyond it. This will help to tackle the fear of crime with more police out on the beat. It will help to deter criminals - making them think twice. And where crime does occur, it ensures those responsible are caught as quickly as possible.
"Most of all I believe that victims of crime want to see justice done and the offender receiving a punishment that fits the crime. We've got the independent prisons commission looking at the whole system to help ensure we have a coherent penal policy.
"One where jail is used to protect us against those who pose a danger - and remember we have committed an average of £120 million a year (capital funds) in our prisons. But one where prisons work alongside a system of tough community punishments which protect the public through reductions in reoffending and have more of an effect on reoffending levels.
"All of this work will help to make sure less people fall victim to crime, and that those who do can have renewed faith that those responsible for their suffering will be dealt with. Together, this can help make Scotland the safer and stronger place we want it to be."
The Justice Secretary will also address the VSS conference in Strathclyde Police's Force Headquarters in Pitt Street on Friday.