The office of the Victims' Commissioner for England and Wales (formally the Commissioner for Victims and Witnesses) is an independent agency of the government of the United Kingdom sponsored by the Ministry of Justice. The role of the Victims' Commissioner is to promote the interests of victims and witnesses of crime, encourage good practice in their treatment, and regularly review the Code of Practice for Victims[2] which sets out the services victims can expect to receive.[3]
| Commissioner for Victims and Witnesses | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Appointer | Justice Secretary after consultation with Attorney General and Home Secretary |
| Constituting instrument | Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act 2004, s 48(1) |
| Inaugural holder | The Baroness Casey of Blackstock |
| Deputy | None |
| Salary | £108,000[1] |
| Website | https://victimscommissioner.org.uk/ |
The organization was created, and its role and remit defined, under sections 48 to 53 of the Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act 2004[4] as amended by section 142 of the Coroners and Justice Act 2009.[5] The Secretary of State for Justice is responsible for appointing the Commissioner, after consulting the Attorney General and Home Secretary.[6] The Commissioner must publish a report on the organization's work each calendar year.[5]
Louise Casey was appointed as the first Victims' Commissioner in 2010,[7] following the one-year appointment of Sara Payne as Victims' Champion.[8] Her successor was Baroness Newlove, a Warrington-based community reform campaigner, who was appointed in 2012.[9] The Commissioner appointed in May 2019,[10] and in office 23 June 2019 to 30 September 2022,[11] was Dame Vera Baird. Newlove was reappointed as interim Commissioner on 16 October 2023.[12]
References
edit- ^ "Victims' Commissioner". HM Government Public Appointments. HM Government Cabinet Office. Retrieved 9 June 2021.
- ^ "The Code of Practice for Victims of Crime in England and Wales and supporting public information materials". GOV.UK. 12 September 2023. Retrieved 22 September 2023.
- ^ "Victims' Commissioner - GOV.UK". www.gov.uk. Retrieved 26 June 2017.
- ^ "Domestic Violence, Crime and Victims Act 2004, Part 3, Chapter 3". www.legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 22 September 2023.
- ^ a b "Coroners and Justice Act 2009". legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 22 September 2023.
- ^ "Role details – Victims' Commissioner for England and Wales". GOV.UK. Retrieved 22 September 2023.
- ^ "Louise Casey appointed as Victims' Commissioner". Telegraph.co.uk. 30 March 2010. Retrieved 2 July 2017.
- ^ "Sara Payne new Victims' Champion". news.bbc.co.uk. 26 January 2009. Retrieved 2 July 2017.
- ^ "Baroness Newlove Is New Victims' Commissioner". Sky News. 21 December 2012. Retrieved 9 May 2013.
- ^ "Dame Vera Baird appointed as new Victims' Commissioner". Victims Commissioner. 13 May 2019. Retrieved 11 June 2019.
- ^ "About us". Victims Commissioner. Archived from the original on 21 March 2023 – via Internet Archive.
- ^ "Interim Victims' Commissioner appointed". GOV.UK. Retrieved 16 October 2023.
External links
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