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Making a Complaint

The Home Office Code of Practice for Victims of Crime governs the way the following agencies provide their services:

The Criminal Cases Review Commission:

The Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority
The Criminal Injuries Compensation Appeals Panel
The Crown Prosecution Service
Her Majesty’s Courts Service
The joint police/Crown Prosecution Service Witness Care Units
All police forces for police areas in England and Wales, the British Transport Police and the Ministry of Defence Police
The Parole Board
The Prison Service
The Probation Service
Youth Offending Teams

The Code, launched on 3 April 2006, will ensure you are kept up-to-date on the progress of your case. You'll be told when someone is arrested for the crime, charged, bailed and sentenced. It also details the special services available for vulnerable and intimidated victims.

Some of the key requirements of the Code include:

a right to information about the crime within specified time scales, including the right to be notified of any arrests and court cases
a dedicated family liaison police officer to be assigned to bereaved relatives
clear information from the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA) on eligibility for compensation
all victims to be told about Victim Support and either referred on to them or offered their service
an enhanced service for vulnerable or intimidated victims
the flexibility for victims to opt in or out of services to ensure they receive the level of service they want.

There is a set procedure for making a complaint and the Code provides information on how to complain, who to contact and the number of working days given for the agency to respond to your complaint.

Click Here to download the Code of Practice for Victims of Crime