Victims

Victims of crime do use our services. We have a Victim Liaison Officer who looks after the victims of crime committed by children and young people. The Victim Liaison Officer is seconded to the Youth Offending Services from Staffordshire Police.

The Victim Liaison Officer liaises with the victim and keeps them informed of the restorative process.  The restorative process works on the principle that young people who commit crimes should be encouraged to take responsibility for the harm and loss they have caused their victims. Young offenders are encouraged to make amends to the victim of their crime, where appropriate or to the community as a whole. 

Victims of crime have the right to know what the repercussions have been for the young offender.  Many victims of crime have found that becoming involved in the criminal justice process helps them to deal with the anxiety and anger they feel following the crime.

 The Youth Offending Services gives victims the opportunity to say if they have been satisfied with the service that has been provided to them.

Here are some responses from victims who chose to have a letter of apology from the young offender who committed a crime against them:

“We actually received a face to face verbal apology in addition to a letter.  I feel a letter can confirm the young person’s verbal apology and reinforce his intentions not to offend.”

“I chose to have a letter of apology to ensure the young person understood why it was an offence”

“Letters of apology allow the individual time to reflect and put the thought to paper.”

  Follow the links on this page for related leaflets and documents.