The Victim's Charter: A New Deal for Child Victims?

Abstract

Abstract: Help and support for victims of crime have become key platforms of the government's criminal justice policy in recent years. The Victim's Charter, published by the government in 1990, is the first official statement on how victims of crime should be treated and what they are entitled to expect. It addresses, in particular, the three issues which have caused most concern during the last decade: the unsympathetic treatment of victims by the police and courts; obtaining financial compensation; and the need for welfare services such as Victim Support. It may be seen both as the official seal of approval and the culmination of years of endeavour on behalf of victims of crime. In all this discussion there is very little mention of children. The way in which the criminal justice system responds to children and young persons under the age of 17 was the subject of research commissioned by the Home Office and carried out by the authors at the Centre for Criminological Research, University of Oxford. Although a number of innovations have been introduced which relate specifically to child victims, it is argued that much remains to be done to ensure that children receive such help as they may need in the aftermath of crime, and that they are not further victimised by the criminal justice process.