Urgent improvement is needed to the criminal justice system to avoid domestic abuse victims being let down, a national conference has heard.
Matthew Ellis, Police and Crime Commissioner for Staffordshire, is calling for a more locally accountable, better joined-up criminal justice approach across Police, Crown Prosecutions and the Courts.
Mr Ellis was a keynote speaker at the Annual Domestic Violence Symposium in London organised by the Public Policy Exchange.
He highlighted work in Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent to bring greater certainty and consistency to the provision of domestic abuse services in order to ensure more support to victims at a local level.
Mr Ellis said: “Victims of domestic abuse and their families often go through a traumatic and prolonged ordeal which is made worse by the complexity of a criminal justice system that doesn’t function as effectively as it could do.
“We must deal once and for all with this historic issue where victims who decide, usually in difficult circumstances, to give evidence but then end up waiting an age only to attend court time and time again before their case is heard. The evidence shows this is more often than not because of a failed process or administrative problems between agencies.
“It is a fact that there is more focus on supporting domestic abuse victims than ever before but the lack of local accountability and an effective ‘end to end’ criminal justice is letting domestic abuse victims down or prolonging their trauma unnecessarily.
“The work done across Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent to provide the best framework for services that support victims of domestic abuse, and other harm, to work together is cost effective but also addresses different needs in different local areas. Achieving more of a joined-up front-end approach agency-wise and geographically was a priority in the strategy I set out in 2013. We now need the criminal justice system to catch up.
“That said, there are potentially quick wins which would provide practical help in making at least some parts of the criminal justice process fit around the needs of victims.
“Something as simple as avoiding victims and their families coming into direct contact with defendants accused of abuse, using a remote video link to Court, is highly effective. But swift rollout is hindered by what is an over centralised system despite PCC funding being available,” Mr Ellis said.
The Commissioner is funding a new project that allows vulnerable victims across Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent to give evidence to court rooms through live video-links. It is the first time in Staffordshire that buildings that are not police stations or courts will be used in this way in a move to encourage more vulnerable witnesses to give evidence. Mr Ellis has expanded the initial stage of the project from one venue to three to allow more victims to access the service although it has taken many months to navigate the centralised governance arrangements.
Meanwhile, the PCC’s office is driving the joined-up provision of domestic abuse services across Staffordshire, working in partnership with Staffordshire County Council and Stoke-on-Trent City Council. District and Borough Councils will also be involved in the work. For the first time, this will create a consistent approach to the planning and provision of support to domestic abuse victims to avoid the current postcode lottery of services with support that meets the needs of victims in each local area.
All domestic abuse services will be included in the new strategy which will ensure services are high quality, consistent and accessible – meeting the needs of victims, potential victims, their children and families and engaging potential perpetrators and perpetrators to prevent and stop the cycle of abuse.
The new approach, which will become operational in early 2017, is part of wider work to support victims by the PCC.
The Staffordshire Victim Gateway was officially launched by the PCC last September to put the needs of victims at the heart of the criminal justice system. Staffordshire is the first area in the country to pioneer the new Citizens Advice Bureau-led approach which is unique because it is based locally, offering a tailored service for all victims. More information can be found here
The PCC’s office has also developed a scheme in partnership with Staffordshire Women’s Aid which supports domestic abuse victims in the workplace. To find out more click here
