A survey taken by 620 people who have experienced crime has found that most of the respondents found the criminal justice system to be unsafe for victims.
The Strengthening the Criminal Justice System for Victims survey ran during February 2019 and was developed following a criminal justice summit held in Wellington last year.
At the summit, Justice Minister Andrew Little reaffirmed his commitment to ensuring that the needs of victims are at the heart of any reform of the criminal justice system.
To meet that commitment, Mr Little asked Dr Kim McGregor, chief victims advisor to Government, to develop and host a victim-focused workshop.
The Strengthening the Criminal Justice System for Victims Workshop was held last March in Wellington.
Between February and March, 620 people responded to the chief victim advisor’s online survey of victims’ experiences in the criminal justice system.
The majority of respondents reported a negative experience.
The responses included:
The survey and the workshop were designed to provide the Minister of Justice with victims' views of what is needed to reform the criminal justice system for victims and their loved ones.
"While the results are really concerning, they’re helpful in highlighting where reforms are needed, and I want to thank everyone who generously shared their thoughts, ideas and experiences," said Dr McGregor.
"It's clear that we need to do better for victims. Victims’ needs, which are diverse and often complex, must be at the heart of any criminal justice reform."
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