The Police and Crime Commissioner has set out in the Police and Crime Plan for Suffolk that victims of crime should be central to all that we do; treatment of victims is vital to building public trust and confidence in the police.  Information on how the Police and Crime Commissioner is helping to support victims of crime can be found below.

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Specialist Support For Victims

Specialist support is available for victims. If you are a victim of crime you may find some of these organisations helpful.

More details of other Victims’ Services funded by the Suffolk Police and Crime Commissioner can be found here: Victims’ Commissioning. The Police and Crime Commissioner receives funding annually from the Ministry of Justice (MOJ) which is specifically for victim support services.

Support and guidance for victims

If you are a victim of crime there is support available to help you recover. All victims of crime are entitled to request support whether the crime is or is not reported to the police.

Norfolk and Suffolk Victim Care Service was launched on 3 April 2018. The service offers free guidance and support to all victims of crime. Call the dedicated number 0300 303 3706 between 8am and 5pm Monday to Friday. Out of hours support is available via Victim Support 0808 168 9111.

Restorative Justice is a victim centred approach and brings those harmed or affected by crime or conflict and those responsible for the harm into communication.  If you have been a victim of crime and are interested in finding out more about Restorative Justice and how it may help you cope and recover from the impact of crime make contact with the Restorative Justice Hub at RJHubSC@suffolk.police.uk.

The Victims of Crime leaflet (PDF, 852KB) sets out what victims of crime can expect from the criminal justice sector and provides details of organisations you can contact for free advice, practical information or emotional support.  The national Victims’ Information Service has additional information on what happens after a crime and what help you can expect.

The Government’s National Victims Strategy, published in September 2018, sets out a criminal justice system wide response to improving the support offered to victims of crime and incorporates actions from all criminal justice agencies, including the police, Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) and courts.

Victims’ Code

The new Victim’s Code, which came into force in April 2021, forms a key part of the wider Government strategy to transform the criminal justice system by putting victims first, making the system more responsive and easier to navigate.

What the code does

The code sets out the service to be provided to victims of criminal conduct by criminal justice organisations in England and Wales.  The code sets out the minimum level of service victims can expect from criminal justice agencies such as the police and courts, whether they choose to report the crime or not.  Criminal Justice organisations can choose to offer additional services and victims can choose to receive services tailored to their individual needs that fall below the minimum standard.

For the purpose of this code: a ‘victim’ is a person who has suffered harm, including physical, mental or emotional harm or economic loss which was directly caused by criminal conduct; or a close relative of a person whose death was directly caused by criminal conduct.