Published date:
“This report from HMICFRS is sobering, but it’s not surprising.
“All of the issues addressed by this report have been raised to me by victims of crime in the past, this report is a validation of their concerns.
“When we read reports like this, we must never forget that these are not abstract issues but have real-life consequences. The failure to invest and deliver a fit for purpose justice system ultimately harms victims and our community.
“The difference between effective and ineffective neighbourhood policing might be the willingness of a victim of domestic abuse to come forward and seek help.
“The difference between the effective and ineffective management of sexual offenders might be the difference between whether or not that individual re-offends, damaging yet more lives.
“Victims have told me previously that they are deeply unhappy with the police using voluntary interviews, which they see as giving alleged perpetrators time to prepare for questioning or potentially destroy evidence. I therefore welcome the attention shone on the governance of this process.
“Public confidence in our justice system is fundamental but it is fragile.
“Every time a victim is failed, every time our justice system doesn’t provide the services it should, every time it fails to protect the public, that confidence is damaged.
“However public protection is not the sole domain of the police service. This report clearly indicates that we are missing the opportunity to proactively prevent crime through increased analysis of existing data and through better information sharing amongst public bodies.
“Our health system, probation services and housing all have a role to play in the management of risk so effective multi-agency collaboration is essential.
“This report is as clear as day – the PSNI need more resources to be able to provide the services it should to victims.
“The caseload for individual officers is unsustainable increasing risk and adding further delay to the process.
“Such delay colours every aspect of a victim’s life. Every Christmas, every birthday, every anniversary that passes waiting for justice simply adds to the harm. Such delay also increases the risk to the public as potentially dangerous offenders await adjudication in our courts.
“The issues raised in this report really matter, they make a difference, day in, day out, to the thousands of victims of crime in Northern Ireland and it is those victims who should be at the forefront as we try to improve.”