Victim First
Extensive planning and thought has been undertaken to decide the best way forward and the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner (OPCC), in conjunction with Leicestershire Police, criminal justice agencies and local authority partners, have designed a new approach which will ensure the needs of victims and witnesses will be first and foremost at every stage of the justice process.
In March 2015 it was announced that the contract to deliver Victim First was awarded to criminal justice experts Catch22.
Catch22 will work in partnership with Restorative Solutions to integrate restorative justice approaches throughout its victims’ work to provide increased opportunities for cope and recovery services and improved satisfaction rates. The service will proactively offer restorative justice as part of an overall response to the victim at the most appropriate stage of their recovery.
This new model is aimed at delivering better outcomes for all victims of crime and anti-social behaviour and will not exclude any individual, regardless of whether a crime is formally recorded or not. It will coordinate support, guidance and practical help through one integrated channel rather than multiple agencies, giving victims a more satisfactory experience. Above all, it seeks to create a lasting legacy to ensure victims of crime in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland need never face recovery alone again.