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Victims in Public Policy

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Book cover Victims of Crime

Part of the book series: Palgrave Studies in Victims and Victimology ((PSVV))

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Abstract

This chapter seeks to take up the challenge of examining the place of victims in public policy discourse in England & Wales not just from a critical perspective but, as outlined in the last chapter, from a cultural position as well. It will proceed firstly by reviewing the political and policy landscapes concerning victims of crime in England and Wales up to the establishment of the coalition government in May 2010. It will then move on to trace the development of public policy on victims under that government and those that followed it after the 2015 election of a Conservative administration, through the second ministry of David Cameron and into the premiership of Theresa May following the July 2016 UK referendum on membership of the European Union up until the general election of June 2017.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    For the sake of brevity, this volume will ordinarily refer to ‘policy networks’. See Atkinson and Coleman (1992) for a full analysis and comparison of this differing terminology.

  2. 2.

    Space restrictions require me to circumvent the considerable debate surrounding the meaning of this term, except insofar as to acknowledge Scholte’s (2000) observation that “the only consensus about globalisation is that it is contested” (p. 41).

  3. 3.

    Recommendation No. R. 85 (11).

  4. 4.

    As amended by the Coroners and Justice Act 2009.

  5. 5.

    Criminal Justice Act 1999.

  6. 6.

    With provisions relating to child witnesses previously being clarified in the Children Act of 1997.

  7. 7.

    s. 34.

  8. 8.

    The Act also introduced so called ‘rape shield’ protection to limit the ability of the defence to cross-examine complainants on their sexual history. To be discussed in more detail in Chaps. 4 and 6.

  9. 9.

    Tampere European Council 15 and 16 October 1999 Presidency Conclusions. Available at: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/summits/tam_en.htm (accessed 06.06.17).

  10. 10.

    s. 32.

  11. 11.

    Although this post was not filled until 2010, see p. 58 of this volume.

  12. 12.

    Which also became known as “Sarah’s Law”, echoing a similar scheme—“Megan’s Law”—in the United States. The cultural significance of this is discussed in Chap. 6.

  13. 13.

    [2000] Crim. L.R. 287.

  14. 14.

    As mandated by the Domestic Violence Crime and Victims Act 2004, s. 49(4).

  15. 15.

    Newlove’s first annual report of March 2014 confirms that this is the same role, with the same statutory duties as the Commissioner for Victims and Witnesses under the 2004 Act.

  16. 16.

    See p. 182 of this volume.

  17. 17.

    Member of Parliament.

  18. 18.

    On which see pp. 70–71 of this volume.

  19. 19.

    In Scotland the eight preexisting police authorities were merged with the creation of a single Scottish Police Force. The Northern Ireland Police force continued to be overseen by the Northern Ireland Policing Board. In London, the role was given to the elected mayor’s office.

  20. 20.

    Except in relation to adding victims of crime as a group to be consulted on local policing issues though an amendment of the Police Act 1996 (s. 14 of the 2011 legislation).

  21. 21.

    In cities with elected mayors, which were introduced in England & Wales under the Local Government Act 2000, the mayor takes on the roles which would otherwise be under the remit of a PCC.

  22. 22.

    Specifically, s. 42 of the Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999.See p. 172 of this volume.

  23. 23.

    In 2017 the remit of PCCs was extended to include overseeing the provision of fire services.

  24. 24.

    See p. 220 of this volume.

  25. 25.

    Resolution of the Council of 10 June 2011 on a roadmap for strengthening the rights and protection of victims, in particular in criminal proceedings, 2011/C 187/01.

  26. 26.

    Although victims must be informed of it if there is one under Article 9 (1) (a).

  27. 27.

    Hansard 13th November 2012, volume 553.

  28. 28.

    Ibid.

  29. 29.

    Ibid.

  30. 30.

    Ibid.

  31. 31.

    Ibid.

  32. 32.

    On which, see Chap. 1 of this volume.

  33. 33.

    The cases are available at http://ec.europa.eu/atwork/applying-eu-law/infringements-proceedings/infringement_decisions/index.cfm?lang_code=EN&r_dossier=&decision_date_from=26%2F01%2F2016&decision_date_to=28%2F01%2F2016&DG=JUST&title=&submit=Search (accessed 09.06.17). The relevant states were: Belgium, Finland, France, Austria, Bulgaria, Greece, Lithuania, Ireland, Netherlands Luxembourg, Slovenia, Croatia, Cyprus, Latvia, Romania and Slovakia.

  34. 34.

    Replacing Council Framework Decision 2002/629/JHA.

  35. 35.

    Forced Marriage Protection Orders are civil instruments inserted as section s. 4A of the Family Law Act 1996 by the Forced Marriage (Civil Protection) Act 2007 and allow family courts to make wide-ranging order for the purposes of protecting (a) a person from being forced into a marriage or from any attempt to be forced into a marriage or (b) a person who has been forced into a marriage.

  36. 36.

    Female Genital Mutilation Act 2003 s. 1.

  37. 37.

    See https://twitter.com/VictimsComm/status/877492035598651393 (accessed 22.06.17).

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  1. Lincoln Law School, University of Lincoln, Lincoln, UK

    Matthew Hall

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Hall, M. (2017). Victims in Public Policy. In: Victims of Crime. Palgrave Studies in Victims and Victimology. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-64589-6_2

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