Commentary on Sections Part 1: Victims and Witnesses
This Part contains two sets of powers to assist victims and witnesses in the criminal justice system.
The principal aim of the offender levy, Part 1 Chapter 1, is to make offenders more accountable for the harm which their actions cause by requiring them to make a financial contribution to the delivery of support services to victims and witnesses of crime. It is intended to help increase victim satisfaction with the criminal justice system and create a new revenue stream which would be used exclusively to resource a non-statutory victims of crime fund. The fund would pay for projects that support victims and witnesses during their engagement with the criminal justice system as well as grants to support initiatives by local groups working with victims in the community.
Special measures, Part 1 Chapter 2, are statutory provisions to assist vulnerable and intimidated witnesses give their best possible evidence in criminal proceedings. These provisions introduce a number of improvements for young witnesses, adult complainants of sexual offences, and vulnerable defendants as well as some procedural changes such as formalising the presence of a supporter in the live link room when a witness is giving evidence.