New booklet to give voice to victims of crime

A new publication will allow victims of crime to tell their stories as well as explaining how they have been supported during their ordeal.

The Victim Stories booklet launched by the Probation Board for Northern Ireland (PBNI) is aimed at encouraging those who have been affected by crime to sign up to victim information schemes.

There are three victim information schemes managed by PBNI which provide information about the sentence served by an offender and the month and year in which a prisoner is expected to be released from custody.

They also provide an opportunity for victims to submit a report to parole commissioners.

The new booklet highlights stories and feedback from victims who have registered with the schemes.

It includes the anonymised account of one woman whose husband was murdered by three men just over 20 years ago. One is still serving a custodial sentence.

Another account is from a teenager who was sexually abused by an older male after being groomed for nearly two years. He was convicted and imprisoned and has now been released on licence.

PBNI chief executive Amanda Stewart said: “In working with people who have offended, probation ensure that victims’ voices are at the centre of our service delivery.

“We do this by challenging offending behaviour and by confronting the impact the crime has had on the victim.

“We also work directly with victims of crime and one of the ways we do this is through the victim information schemes.

“Everything probation does is about preventing further victims of crime.”

She added: “This publication gives victims and survivors a voice and enables them to explain in their own words how the service provided has supported them.

“This in turn enables probation and other organisations to continually improve our services.

“The stories shared in this booklet by the victims makes difficult reading, but they are also inspirational in how they have each been able to cope in the worst of situations.

“They all found support in different ways through registering with the schemes and we hope that this will encourage other victims to do the same.”

The three victim information schemes available are:

– PBNI scheme for cases where the person who has offended has been given a probation supervised sentence;

– Prisoner release scheme for cases where the person who has offended has been sentenced to time in prison;

– Mentally disordered scheme for cases where the person who has offended has been given a hospital restriction or a supervision and treatment order.