Consultation on Improving the Victims’ Code

The Code of Practice for Victims of Crime (the Victims’ Code) is a statutory Government document which sets out the minimum level of services that victims of crime should receive from criminal justice agencies and other organisations in England and Wales. It enables victims to receive the information they need about their case, the criminal justice system, and the support services available, so that they can navigate the justice process and make their own informed decisions about what services to access, and what they are entitled to expect.

The Victims’ Code came into effect in 2006, having been required by the Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act 2004. It built on the support for victims within the Victims’ Charter, which was introduced in 1990 and which set out for the first time the levels of service victims of crime should expect. The Code was updated in 2013 and again in 2015.

This consultation is the next step in improving the experience of victims within the justice system and will pave the way for a Victims’ Law that will guarantee victims their rights. We now want to hear what you have to say about our proposed changes.