Information For Victims Of Racist Crime
A new DVD has been launched to provide information on the Criminal Justice System for victims and witnesses of racist crime. The 15-minute programme aims to increase the confidence of ethnic minority communities in the criminal justice system and to encourage victims of racist crime to report incidents to the police.
It also provides details of the services available to victims and witnesses, including support services to help reduce the trauma of attending court. There is footage from a real case, which graphically illustrates the negative impact that racist crime can have on victims (the footage shows a shocking verbal racist attack by two teenage girls on the staff in a takeaway restaurant involving acts of vandalism on the premises). Those who are interviewed are local residents and business people from the Lanarkshire area, talking about their experiences, either as victims or as representatives of local organisations.
The Lord Advocate Elish Angiolini QC said: “Racist crime is a reality in Scotland; that is the unfortunate truth. This DVD, although it will not eradicate racist crime, will assist people in Scotland to better understand our criminal justice system, and help to build confidence to ensure that people feel more able to report instances of racist crime. There is no place for racism in a civilised society.
“Only by engaging with local communities can we really understand how crime affects our communities and what we need to do to tackle the problems. I want to pay credit to the members of the public from Lanarkshire who gave up their time to help make this DVD. Your contribution will help others see what effects this type of discrimination can have. This, I am sure, will go some way to making people stop, and think, before they act. This can only be a good thing.”
Sir William Rae, Chief Constable, Strathclyde Police said: “I am delighted that officers from both South and North Lanarkshire have had the opportunity to be involved in such a worthwhile project. “We at Strathclyde Police fully appreciate the difficulties faced by people who are the victims of a racially motivated crime at all stages of the Criminal Justice process. However, I am sure that this excellent DVD will help to reduce any fears of the process and increase confidence in the system to deal fairly and effectively with any reported incidents.”
Victim Information and Advice (VIA) is part of the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS), and offers a service to certain victims, witnesses and also, in cases of sudden, unexpected or crime-related deaths, the next of kin.
