ABSTRACT
In the aftermath of 7 July 2005 the Home Office presented its consultation document Rebuilding Lives to Parliament. In that document (also referred to in the Introduction and Overview) a number of claims are made concerning the delivery of services to victims of crime and a number of promises made about the future of that service delivery. For example, the Ministerial Foreword states:
The good news is that the number of people who are victims of crime has fallen by 40% compared to ten years ago. And if people are the victims of crime, their experience of the criminal justice system is vastly improved. For example, the Code of Practice for Victims of Crime means that victims will be regularly updated about the progress of their case. When victims, or witnesses, have to go to court, they are helped throughout the process by Witness Care Units, the Witness Service, and new measures in court which make giving evidence less traumatic. Victims now have the opportunity to make a personal statement of how the crime has had an impact on them, and there has been a radical reform of sentencing. Many more victims are now receiving support from Victim Support and other organisations than in the past.
