The criminal justice system
Reporting crime
You need to think about whether or not you want to report the crime to the police. If you are worried about what may happen if you do, Victim Support can give you information and advice.
You do not have to report crime directly. There are anonymous ways of informing the police. If you think that reporting a crime to the police might put you or someone else in danger or at risk, you can call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. You will not be asked your name and you can give information anonymously.
In some parts of the country there are also independent reporting centres where victims of hate crime, such as racist incidents, domestic violence and crimes against lesbians and gay men, can report the crime anonymously. The centre staff will pass on the information to police.
If you report the crime, the police should give you a booklet called Victims of crime, which explains what will happen next. The police will give you a reference number for your crime and you will need this if you want to make an insurance or criminal injuries compensation claim.
Going to court
Most court cases are dealt with by Magistrates' courts. More serious cases have to be sent to the Crown Court for trial by jury. Either way, if you are asked to appear as a witness in court, or if you are a victim or a family member or friend and would like to attend the trial, you may not know what to expect or how to find out more about it. The Witness Service, which is run by Victim Support, is there to provide practical and emotional support to victims, witnesses, their families and friends, before, during and after the court case. The Witness Service is independent of the court, police and other organisations there. It is there just to help you cope with the experience.
All witnesses should be given a copy of the leaflet Witness in court which will explain what is likely to happen. You should also be sent a copy of our leaflet Going to court (available from the Witness Service) and information about how to get to the court and about the facilities available there.
If you would like to visit the court before the trial to see what it is like, the Witness Service should be able to organise it for you.
Restorative justice
Restorative justice is an approach to trying to deal with the harm done by crime or other conflicts. It tries to make things good again (restored) for the victim and the community and to help the offender to fit back into society.
It gives you, as the victim, a chance to ask the offender questions or tell them how their criminal behaviour has affected you, if you want to. It gives the offender a chance to admit the effect of what they have done, to make up for it in some way and to work to change their behaviour. You might be given the chance to communicate with the offender face-to-face, with a mediator or facilitator present, or indirectly through a mediator.
Since 1998 a range of new measures for dealing with young offenders has been introduced. Some of these measures include some of the principles of restorative justice. It is totally up to you whether or not you take part. You may be approached about the possibility of mediation, attending a restorative conference or Youth Offender Panel meeting, or asked about reparation.