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In this section:
1. What to expect as a victim or witness of a crime |
2. What happens after you report a crime? |
3. Victims' Right to Review scheme |
4. Giving a witness or victim statement |
5. Going to court |
6. What happens after the trial? |
7. Victim and witness support organisations |
As a victim of crime or someone who has witnessed a crime, there are things you can expect from the police and criminal justice system.
In these pages we’ll explain what those things are and how you can access support.
The Code of Practice for Victims of Crime lays out what happens from when a crime is reported through to what happens after a trial, if there is one. The Code of Practice explains what your rights are.
The Code of Practice for Victims of Crime is also available in other formats:
Under the Code of Practice, a ‘victim’ is someone who:
You may also have rights under the Code of Practice if you are:
As the victim of a crime you have the right to:
Witnesses of crime are protected under the Witness Charter. The charter explains the support you can get and how you should be treated.
All witnesses of crime have the right to:
To find out more about how witnesses and victims of crime are treated and other services available, visit the UK government’s website.
As a victim, you may be able to take part in 'restorative justice'.
Restorative justice is used for any type of crime and at any stage of the criminal justice process, including if the offender is serving a prison sentence.
It's important to report all crimes to the police. It helps us to bring offenders to justice and stop more crimes from happening.
If you don't report a crime to us you can still get help from Victim First.