Scottish Government

SCOTTISH STRATEGY for VICTIMS
Progress Report 2004

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Ministerial Foreword

In 1999, we promised that the victims of crime will be put at the heart of the Scottish criminal justice system. The Scottish Strategy for Victims, launched in January 2001, set out in clear terms the action needed to fulfil that promise.

The Strategy said we would provide regular updates on progress made in meeting our objectives. In February 2003 we published our first report, which recorded progress such as the establishment of the Victim Information and Advice (VIA) service, rolling out the Witness Service to all 49 Sheriff Courts in Scotland, the launch of the Victims of Crime website ( www.scottishvictimsofcrime.co.uk) and consultation on a Victim Statement Scheme.

Since then further significant steps have been taken against a background of continued change in the criminal justice system. This report sets out in detail what we have done to improve the information and support available to victims, as well as the opportunities for them to have their voice heard within the criminal justice system. The report shows that a great deal has been achieved by the many organisations working hard to meet the information and support needs of victims. Partnership working is key to the delivery of services for victims; I would therefore like to thank all those whose dedication and commitment over the last few years has brought about the improvements set out in this report.

Although a great deal has been done already, we can, and will, do even more to improve the services that are delivered to victims of crime. That is why we have embarked on a systematic review of the Strategy. The basic principles are sound, but we need to build on the good work that has already taken place, as well as take into account the changes that have happened since 2001.

I hope that you find this report useful and interesting. We will continue to work to deliver our promise to victims of crime, and future reports will keep you up to date with progress.

Hugh Henry, MSP
Deputy Minister for Justice

Introduction

The Scottish Strategy for Victims is based around three key objectives:

• the provision of appropriate information (both general and case-specific) to victims;
• ensuring that emotional and practical support is available to victims; and
• securing greater participation for victims in the criminal justice process.

The Victim Steering Group (VSG) ¹ - a partnership between statutory agencies, voluntary organisations that directly support victims, and professional organisations - is responsible for monitoring progress against the Strategy and has been central to the progress made.

Scottish Ministers re-affirmed their commitment to placing victims and witnesses at the heart of the justice system in the Partnership Agreement following the Scottish parliamentary elections in May 2003. We remain strongly committed to securing a criminal justice system that supports victims and witnesses through an experience they did not choose to have.

This report charts progress across the criminal justice system against each of these objectives during 2003-04. We have also included a section on service delivery and effective joint working as this is key to meeting the needs of victims and witnesses better. Finally, the report gives an outline of future work.

Support

People who are victims of crime often need practical and emotional support to help them deal with the impact of the crime on their life. The type of support and the stage at which it is needed will depend on a range of factors. These can include the nature of the crime, the age of the victim, whether the victim has family and friends close by, and personal circumstances. For these reasons, it is important that a range of support is available.

In 2003-04, support has been provided in a number of ways:

Funding

• The Scottish Executive provided funding totalling more than 6 million for victim and witness services. This included 3.3 million for Victim Support Scotland to deliver local victim support services and the court-based Witness Service; and 1.3 million for the Victim Information and Advice (VIA) service.
• The Executive also continued support for victims of domestic abuse through a number of initiatives. These include the 10 million Refuge Development Programme and the refuge research report, the 1.5 million per annum Domestic Abuse Service Development Fund (to improve provision at local level), the National Prevention Strategy, the National Training Strategy, funding the Scottish Domestic Abuse Helpline and an awareness-raising campaign.
• The Executive's Education Department is funding a pilot project to provide support and information for victims of youth crime. This project - in Clackmannanshire, Stirling and Falkirk - is providing information, advice and support to victims of youth crime and the parents/guardians of young victims of youth crime. The service is provided by the police, Victim Support Scotland and the Scottish Children's Reporter Administration. The pilot began in October 2003 and is running for 12 months.

Services

• Victim Support Scotland (VSS) delivered support services to over 86,000 victims during 2003-04. Referrals to VSS's community based victim services increased by more than 40% on the previous year. A recent user survey carried out by VSS demonstrated that over 90% of victims who used the community based victim services were satisfied or very satisfied with the service received.
• VSS also delivered support services to over 66,000 witnesses through the Witness Service during 2003-04. This was an increase of 18% on the previous year. VSS worked with partners to extend the Service to High Courts from 28 July 2003. Of the 66,000 contacts during the year, 10% were witnesses using the new High Court service.
• Scottish Women's Aid local groups provided support, information and refuge to 77,902 victims of domestic abuse in 2002-03. More recent figures are not yet available but, given the upward trend in previous years, these are likely to be similar or higher.
• The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) extended the Victim Information and Advice (VIA) service to all 11 Procurator Fiscal areas and 20 district offices. This service offers case specific information and advice to victims of certain crimes and to vulnerable witnesses, gives information on legal procedures and offers victims the chance to discuss issues that concern them. In September 2003, VIA appointed staff to assist victims, vulnerable witnesses and bereaved families in Edinburgh and Glasgow High Courts. In 2003-04, 11,632 cases were referred to VIA, involving 18,447 victims and vulnerable witnesses.
• The Scottish Court Service (SCS) continued with its programme of refurbishing court buildings and of introducing and upgrading the equipment to be used by witnesses giving evidence. 85% of court buildings now have provision for separate facilities for Crown and Defence witnesses (up from 72% at the start of 2003). As part of the implementation plan for the High Court review and the Vulnerable Witnesses (Scotland) Act 2004, video conferencing equipment has been installed in Edinburgh and Glasgow High Court buildings and in Airdrie, Falkirk, Glasgow and Hamilton Sheriff Courts. CCTV and video link equipment has been upgraded or installed in Ayr, Inverness and Kilmarnock Sheriff Courts.
• Working with groups which have traditionally been reluctant to report crime. Police forces in Central Scotland, Fife, Grampian, Lothian & Borders, and Strathclyde have developed remote reporting facilities to encourage victims to report homophobic or racist crime and crimes against homeless people. An inspection of Lothian & Borders police by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary highlighted good practice in dealing with the concerns from the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) and minority ethnic communities. In 2004, the categories of crime covered by the Victim Information and Advice service was extended to include homophobic crime. Victim Support Scotland is involved in a range of projects in Central Scotland, Dundee, Glasgow, and the Highlands to support homeless victims, victims of race hate crimes and asylum seekers.
• Supporting victims' mental well-being and recovery through raising awareness and promoting mental health, and promoting and supporting recovery. This is being done through a pilot Mental Health First Aid training programme and the development of a Scottish Recovery Network. These complement the "See Me..." campaign to eliminate stigma and discrimination, the "Choose Life" national strategy for preventing suicide, and the Breathing Space telephone advice line for people suffering from low mood or depression. These are all part of the Scottish Executive's National Programme for Improving Mental Health and Wellbeing (for more details visit www.wellontheweb.net). The Executive also funds a number of voluntary organisations such as the Scottish Association for Mental Health, Depression Alliance and Samaritans. As part of their overall service, they provide counselling and support to victims of crime who have developed mental health problems.

Legislation

• The Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 2003 which improved the anonymity of children in Children's Hearings. This prohibits the publication of material intended or likely to identify children involved in children's hearings and connected proceedings. The Children's Reporter informs victims (and parents and relevant persons where victims are children) about key stages of the children's hearings process that affect them.
• The Vulnerable Witnesses (Scotland) Act 2004. The Act allows child and adult vulnerable witnesses to benefit from a number of special measures (see page 10) and other provisions aimed at helping them give their best evidence. Under the Act, child witnesses will automatically be entitled to this assistance. In addition, an application may be made for assistance to be offered to adult witnesses suffering from a mental disorder or to those who are afraid or distressed by the prospect of giving evidence in court. Implementation of the Act will be phased, beginning in spring 2005 with child witnesses in High Court, sheriff court solemn cases and Children's Hearings court procedures.
• The Criminal Procedure (Amendment) (Scotland) Act 2004. The Act will help to ensure victims and witnesses have greater certainty about when trials will be heard in the High Court. Parties in the High Court and in sheriff court solemn cases will be required to state in court which witnesses it is that they require to attend any trial. This should ensure that only those witnesses who are needed will attend court. Fixing trials in the High Court only when parties are fully prepared will also help speed up the judicial process by reducing adjournments and postponements.
• The Antisocial Behaviour etc (Scotland) Act 2004. The Act and the wider strategy on antisocial behaviour will help support victims of, and witnesses to, antisocial behaviour. The Act requires each local authority, together with the relevant Chief Constable, to produce a strategy for tackling antisocial behaviour. This must include the range and availability of services for victims of and witnesses to antisocial behaviour and for people involved in neighbourhood disputes. Funding from the Executive is also intended to ensure that local authorities, either directly or through other agencies, provide access to services that will allow people to report incidents of antisocial behaviour without fear or harassment and intimidation. These services should be provided regardless of the type of housing tenure and should also keep people informed of the progress and outcome of complaints.

Reviews and consultations

• Published the Summary Justice Review Committee's report ('the McInnes Report') on 16 March 2004. A consultation on the report was launched on the same day and concluded on 16 July. The report makes a number of significant recommendations for reform of our criminal courts. Its emphasis is on creating simple but effective processes which will enhance public confidence in the system and take proper account of the needs of victims and witnesses. The consultation responses are currently being considered.
• Consulted on future arrangements for managing offenders to reduce re-offending. This included meetings with victims' organisations and focus groups with victims. The analysis of the consultation responses was published on 18 October 2004. Ministers are currently considering the findings of the consultation.
• Set up a judicially-led Sentencing Commission in November 2003 with a remit to review the use of bail and remand; the basis on which fines are determined; the effectiveness of sentences in reducing re-offending; the scope to improve the consistency of sentencing; and the arrangements for early release from prison, and supervision of prisoners on their release. The Chief Executive of Victim Support Scotland is a member of the Commission.
• Set up a Working Group to look at the needs of families and friends bereaved by murder or culpable homicide. The Group includes representatives from the police, Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service, including Victim Information and Advice, the Executive's Victims and Witnesses Unit, Scottish Court Service, Victim Support Scotland, Families of Murdered Children (FOMC), People Affected by Trauma and Loss (PETAL) and Association of Directors of Social Work. The Group will make recommendations for action to the Victim Steering Group, and is helping inform the development of an information pack for the families and friends of victims.

Guidance

• The Scottish Executive published a child witness support guidance pack (September 2003), including guidance on interviewing child witnesses and questioning children in court. Further guidance on court familiarisation visits for child witnesses was published in May 2004. These are designed to help respond better to the needs of child witnesses.
• The Scottish Executive published, in June 2004, guidance on restorative warnings from police to help deal with youth offending. This will ensure that victims are kept informed of progress and action taken against young offenders.

Information

Many victims of crime never come into contact with the criminal justice system before the crime and therefore know very little about it. The people, organisations and language they suddenly have to deal with will be unfamiliar, and this can leave victims feeling vulnerable and confused. If victims can get more information about the criminal justice system, its procedures and the support available, they may feel more able to cope with what has happened and be more certain about how they should expect to be treated by the system.

Improvements to the information available to victims include:

Information Leaflets and Packs

• The Executive's victim information leaflet has been revised and updated. It is available in both English and a number of community languages. The leaflet tells victims of crime how to find support and help, and about the criminal justice system. The leaflets were originally published in 2001 and have been updated to include, for example, information about the Children's Hearing system.
• The Victim Information and Advice (VIA) service has published a range of leaflets for victims and vulnerable witnesses. These contain information on offences and procedures. All COPFS written material can be translated on request either in full or abbreviated form.
• The Executive commissioned an information pack for families and friends bereaved following a death on the road. This pack provides information about the procedures following a road death and the support available to families affected by such a death. The pack also includes a booklet on coping with grief.
• The Citizenship Foundation published a Young Citizen's Passport in association with the Law Society. It is aimed at 14-19 year olds and is a guide to the law in Scotland. It also explains the rights and responsibilities of young people, and includes information for victims of sexual assault and violent crime.

Campaigns

• Scottish Women's Aid "Listen Louder" campaign and "It's OK to Talk" initiative. This is aimed at raising awareness of children and young people's experiences of domestic abuse and to promote action. "It's OK to Talk" encourages children and young people to talk about domestic abuse, particularly with their peers, and gives them information about how to access services. An accompanying video is also available.
• The awareness campaign on Drug Assisted Sexual Assault to warn potential victims of the dangers of drink-spiking. This has included the leafleting of pubs and clubs; production of a training video and DVD for use by police officers; and the continued availability of information through the "Know the Score" information line (0800 587 5879) and website ( www.knowthescore.info), under the campaign heading of "Who's keeping an eye on your drink?".
• The Scottish Executive's Domestic Abuse Awareness Raising Campaign which has been running for the last 6 years. Most recently the 'Doll's House' advert looked at the effect domestic abuse has on children and young people. As well as the TV advert, the Executive has also produced 3 'Talking Scotland' slots on domestic abuse which can be viewed at www.talkingscotland.co.uk. The awareness-raising campaign is also supported by the Scottish Domestic Abuse Helpline which now runs 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Catering for different groups of victims

• Providing age appropriate materials to help children cope with the impact of crime.
  For example, the Victim Information and Advice service designed letters specifically for child witnesses in consultation with children's organisations. As part of the Support and Information for Victims of Youth Crime project (see page 4), an information leaflet was produced which explains the workings of the Children's Hearings System. The project has also designed a range of age appropriate leaflets for young victims of crime.
• Developing a range of information in different formats. For example:
  - The Scottish Executive provided guidance on completing victim statement forms through seminars and produced a guidance video and a CD Rom.
  - The Witness Service has developed a "virtual" tour of a court which can be used to familiarise witnesses with the layout of a court if they cannot or do not want to visit the court before trial.
  - Information about the services for victims and witnesses provided by criminal justice agencies and support organisations are available in various community languages. For example, both the victim information leaflet and the website ( www.scottishvictimsofcrime.co.uk) are available in a range of community languages.

Developing databases to improve the provision of appropriate support

• Lothian and Borders Police have introduced a family protection database to make best use of information to improve the identification, protection, care and support of children and families who are most at risk.
• Strathclyde Police have introduced a database to improve the reporting of incidents by vulnerable people. Further work is being undertaken to help prioritise call handling of incidents that involve vulnerable members of the community.
• Work is underway to develop the electronic exchange and recording of criminal justice information within Scotland through the Integration of Scottish Criminal Justice Information Systems (ISCJIS) programme.

Participation

The Scottish Strategy for Victims recognised that victims can often feel that they have no role in the criminal justice process other than as a witness. Not only do they feel victims of a crime but also of a system where they do not have a voice. The Strategy committed agencies to giving victims a chance to participate more fully in the criminal justice system and to voice their views and concerns.

During 2003-04, opportunities to participate were extended and made available through:

• A pilot Victim Statement scheme. This scheme gives victims of certain crimes or their families the chance to submit a written statement to the court about the impact - physical, emotional and financial - that the crime has had on them. The pilot scheme is running for 2 years from November 2003 in Ayr, Edinburgh and Kilmarnock Sheriff Courts and in the High Court in Edinburgh and on circuit at Kilmarnock. The decision whether to roll out the scheme across Scotland will be subject to Parliamentary approval and informed by the results of an evaluation of the pilots, which will be completed around spring 2006.
• Organisations within the criminal justice system undertaking surveys of the people who use their services. Scottish Court Service, Victim Support Scotland, Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service and Victim Information and Advice have all undertaken such surveys. These showed high satisfaction rates and, together with future surveys, will help inform and improve future service delivery.
• The Vulnerable Witnesses (Scotland) Act 2004. It will ensure more effective participation of child and adult vulnerable witnesses in court, who may also be victims. Special measures to help people give their best evidence include the use of screens, live TV links and prior statements as main evidence, commissioning evidence from other locations and being accompanied by a supporter. Vulnerable witnesses will also be expected to be more involved in helping the court agree on the most appropriate special measure.

Service Delivery and Effective Joint Working

Meeting the needs of victims is the responsibility of a range of organisations - the Scottish Executive, agencies working in the criminal justice system, and voluntary organisations that provide support direct to victims and their families and friends.

In January 2004, the Executive established a new Victims and Witnesses Unit within the Executive's Justice Department. The Unit brings together work on victims of crime, child and vulnerable witnesses, providing a greater focus to these issues.

Effective joint working is an essential prerequisite for the effective delivery of information, support and advice to victims and witnesses by statutory and voluntary agencies. The agencies have been working together on a range of issues to develop policy, practice and procedures to improve information and support services. These include multi-agency groups which have overseen many of the initiatives listed earlier in the report (including work on child and other vulnerable witnesses).

Other examples include:

Partnership Working

• The Victim Practitioners Group convened by the Association of Chief Police Officers Scotland. It has representatives from all 8 forces in Scotland, Victim Support Scotland (VSS) and the Victim Information and Advice (VIA) service. The Group helps bring the Scottish Strategy for Victims and the ACPOS Framework for Action to a local context through individual Force Victim Action Plans. It advises ACPOS on, and helps ensure more consistent approaches to, victim issues across Scotland.
• The multi-agency Vulnerable Witnesses Act Implementation Steering Group was established in April 2004 to ensure that the introduction of the Act benefits from the early involvement of practitioners. Its members include VSS, VIA, ACPOS, the Scottish Court Service, Social Work and the Scottish Children's Reporter Administration.
• The multi-agency Glasgow High Court Management Group which ensures more effective operation of the court in the interests of all involved, including victims and witnesses. Both VIA and the Witness Service are members of this Group.
• The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) Working Group set up to investigate the use of standard fees and standard levels of quality of service from interpreters and translators. Its other members are the Scottish Court Service, Police, Law Society and Scottish Legal Aid Board.
• Families of Murdered Children (FOMC) contribute to the training of police Family Liaison Officers who play a vital role in supporting families bereaved by murder.

Improving joint working arrangements between criminal justice agencies

• A number of police and Procurator Fiscal areas have developed Service Level Agreements to improve the service available from both agencies to victims of domestic abuse.
• The Scottish Court Service and COPFS' Victim Information and Advice (VIA) have established an information exchange agreement to develop local practices and procedures to ensure that up-to-date information is available for victims.
• A protocol between VIA and Victim Support Scotland and guidance regarding referrals to the Witness Service was introduced in January 2004.
• A protocol on the relationship between COPFS and police Family Liaison Officers (FLOs), particularly the links between VIA and FLOs, was implemented in April 2003. A survey to assess its success will be completed by the end of 2004.
• Restructuring of the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service into 11 areas, aligned to police boundaries, has aided co-operation, allowed better identification of local criminal justice issues, and helped joint, targeted action.

Contribution of the voluntary sector

Voluntary organisations play a crucial role in providing services direct to a range of victims of crime.
A few examples of this are:

• Victim Support Scotland's local victim services (31 across Scotland) that, between them, dealt with 86,000 referrals between April 2003 and March 2004
• The National Forum of Victims' Organisations has contributed to the development of policy on victims' issues throughout 2003-04. As well as bringing together voluntary organisations supporting victims of crime in Scotland, its member organisations provide services - often specialist - to a wide spectrum of victims. Current Forum members are Barnardos, Families of Murdered Children, Justice for Victims (Scotland), Kingdom Abuse Survivors Project, Men Against Sexual Abuse, the Moira Anderson Foundation, Open Secret, Outright Scotland, Positive Action in Housing, Scottish Campaign Against Irresponsible Drivers, Scottish Rape Crisis Network, Scottish Refugee Council, Scottish Women's Aid, Shakti Women's Aid, Victim Support Scotland and West Lothian Domestic Violence Forum. Forum members work collaboratively to strengthen the services available to people affected by crime.
• The involvement of Families of Murdered Children (FOMC), People Experiencing Trauma and Loss (PETAL) and Victim Support Scotland (VSS) in the Working Group which is looking at the needs of families and friends bereaved by murder or culpable homicide.

Future

We have achieved a lot but there is still much to be done. The Scottish Strategy for Victims will continue to evolve to respond better to the needs of victims and witnesses through:

Improving support

• Implementing the Vulnerable Witnesses (Scotland) Act 2004, the Criminal Procedure (Amendment) (Scotland) Act 2004 and the Antisocial Behaviour etc (Scotland) Act 2004.
• Establishing a vulnerable witness officers pilot scheme.
• Finalising media guidelines governing the reporting of children's hearings cases to protect the confidentiality of children and young people referred to the hearings system along with other children affected by these cases (including child victims).
• Considering an independent evaluation of the Support and Information for Victims of Youth Crime project. This will inform how the service is rolled out and adapted in other areas across Scotland by the end of 2006.
• Victim Information and Advice to be rolled out across Scotland by December 2004.
• Scottish Court Service continuing with the ongoing refurbishment programme to improve services for vulnerable witnesses. CCTV and video links should be installed in 24 locations by December 2004. This programme is aimed initially at High Court buildings and all Sheriff Courts where the High Court is programmed to sit. The programme will then be expanded to other sheriff courts. Service improvements for victims, relatives and witnesses in respect of the High Court reform programme plan is also continuing with work in Ayr, Inverness and Kilmarnock Sheriff Courts. By the end of the programme in March 2005, 13 court buildings will have suitable accommodation in line with the recommendations in Lord Bonomy's report. Work has begun on the refurbishment of Aberdeen Sheriff Court which will include a suite for victims and witnesses.
• Police forces across Scotland reviewing their current practices and procedures in relation to monitoring and management of repeat victims.
• Dumfries & Galloway and Tayside police forces are developing remote reporting schemes, and Lothian & Borders are expanding their existing scheme to include more difficult-to-reach groups.
• The children and young people sub-group of the National Strategy Group on Domestic Violence will issue a guidance note for local children's services planners. This will cover key recommendations and action points from existing National Strategy documents and research relevant to identifying and meeting the needs of children and young people affected by domestic violence. This will help inform the preparation of local integrated Children's Services Plans for 2005-2008 to be published in April 2005.
• Finalising the child witness support guidance pack, including guidance on the provision of therapy to child witnesses, and establishing monitoring and evaluation of implementation of the guidance in training and practice.
• Implementing the recommendations of the report "Protecting Public Service Workers - When the customer isn't right" which was launched in September 2004. It seeks to tackle the problem of work related violence through a 3 year programme of initiatives. In addition, taking forward the Emergency Workers Bill in the Scottish Parliament will help tackle the problem of violent attacks on emergency workers in the course of their work.
• The Executive will work with the Home Office on its consultation about compensation and support for victims of crime as it relates to Scotland.

Improving information

• Publishing national standards of service for the criminal justice system so that victims know what to expect from the contacts they have.
• Finalising the procedures for a statutory Victim Notification Scheme following the passage of the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 2003. Although administratively available already (52 applications were made in 2003-04, and 602 applications have been made in total since 1 April 1997), this right will have statutory effect from 1 November 2004.
• As part of the Victim Notification Scheme, from the same date, victims of certain crimes will have the right to make written representations to the Parole Board. The Board will take these views into account before a decision is taken to release a prisoner and when considering any conditions attached to the release.
• The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service review of its policy on giving reasons for not proceeding with cases.
• Publishing by the end of 2004 an information pack for families bereaved by murder or culpable homicide.
• Reviewing the victims of crime website ( www.scottishvictimsofcrime.co.uk).

Improving the opportunities for participation

• Evaluating the pilot victim statement scheme and considering the implications for possible roll-out across Scotland.
• Rolling out the use of the Video Identification Parade Electronic Recording System (VIPER) across Scotland (currently used by Lothian & Borders and Grampian police). The system uses a database of volunteers to which the suspect can be added. It aims to reduce the apprehension witnesses can feel about traditional identity parades.

Improving joint working and service delivery

• Establishing the first Domestic Abuse court in Glasgow in Autumn 2004. The aim of this new Court is to improve the management of domestic abuse cases. Together with new court procedures and fast-tracking of cases, a package of support measures co-ordinated by Glasgow City Council will ensure comprehensive and joined-up support for victims by providing a single point of access to the range of services that victims may need. The pilot has been developed by a multi-agency steering group. It is chaired by a Sheriff Principal and includes representatives from the judiciary, Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service, Strathclyde Police, the Scottish Court Service, Glasgow City Council Social Work, the voluntary sector and the Scottish Executive.
• COPFS and ACPOS intend to publish a national protocol on the Investigation and Prosecution of Domestic Abuse.
• Voluntary organisations will continue to build important links with their counterparts in other jurisdictions. For example:
  - Scottish Women's Aid is looking at refuge provision with partner organisations in Denmark, France, Ireland, Portugal and Slovenia. Each national organisation has produced a report of provision in their country and the project aims to develop a European website on refuge provision.
  - Victim Support Scotland has also worked with its sister organisations in England & Wales, Belgium, Portugal, Holland and France to establish best practice in relation to providing support to children and young people affected by crime. The aim is to set up a training programme which builds on the experiences of the organisations in each of these countries.

Reviews and consultations

• Taking forward the results of the Reducing Re-offending consultation and the findings of the Sentencing Commission.
• The Scottish Law Commission review of the criminal law in relation to rape and other sexual offences.
• The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service review of the investigation and prosecution of rape and sexual offences to report to the Law Officers in autumn 2005. It will make recommendations on best practice to improve service delivery, and to enhance the confidence of victims of rape and sexual offences and the public that the prosecution system operates to the highest possible standard.
• Consulting on whether procedures should be introduced to enable information to be given to victims about the discharge from hospital of mentally disordered offenders.
• Considering the outcome of the consultation on the Report of the Summary Justice Review Committee ('the McInnes Report').
• Conducting a study of the information collected and held across the justice system on victims and witnesses as a first step towards developing more robust monitoring and evaluation of the impact of policies for victims and witnesses.

Reviewing the Scottish Strategy for Victims

As indicated in the foreword, the Scottish Strategy for Victims was launched in 2001. This progress report, together with the one published in February 2003, shows how much has been achieved since then and what other work is already underway. However, it is more than 3 years since the Strategy was launched and there have been a number of developments since then. These include reform of the High Courts, the McInnes Report and the Antisocial Behaviour etc (Scotland) Act 2004.

It is timely therefore to consider what is working and what might be improved and adapted in the light of experience and changing circumstances. A series of working groups, under the aegis of the Victim Steering Group, has been reviewing the Strategy. These groups include representatives of criminal justice agencies, Victim Support Scotland and the Victims' Forum. The groups have focused on awareness-raising and training, information for victims and improving service delivery, and are due to report and make recommendations to the Victim Steering Group in November 2004. Thereafter, the VSG will consider a revised strategy with a view to possible public consultation in early 2005, finalising the Strategy in March 2005 and producing action plans the following month.

The Scottish Executive Victims and Witnesses Unit has also commissioned a scoping study of the information gathered on victims and witnesses by organisations across the justice system. This information is key to understanding the contacts that victims and witnesses have and will help identify information needs in relation to new legislation and key policy areas, and ongoing and future initiatives and services.

National contact numbers for victims

1 VSG is chaired by the Scottish Executive and draws its membership from the Association of Chief Police Officers (Scotland), the Association of Directors of Social Work, COSLA, the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service, the District Courts Association, the Judicial Studies Committee, Law Society of Scotland, the Scottish Children's Reporter Administration, the Scottish Court Service, the Scottish Prison Service, the Sheriff's Association, the Victim Information and Advice service, the Victims' Forum for Scotland and Victim Support Scotland.