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Enhancing Victims' Rights Review

Victims of Crime Reform Bill introduced - 16 August 2011

The Government has introduced to Parliament the Victims of Crime Reform Bill.  The Bill implements the reform package approved by Cabinet in March 2011.

The Bill will enhance victims’ rights and increase the responsiveness and accountability of government agencies that provide services to victims. 

The Bill includes amendments that will:

  • strengthen the accountability of agencies and extend the application of general rights of victims
  • widen the matters a victim can include in their victim impact statement, allow victims to include a photograph or drawing with their statement, and provide victims of serious offences with the right to read their statement to the court
  • widen the scope and improve the functioning of the Victim Notification System, such as notifying victims when an offender is convicted for breaching release conditions, and notifying more victims about the outcomes of bail hearings and conditions relating to the victim or their family
  • increase the rights of victims of offending by children and young persons by providing victims with the right to attend Youth Court and submit a victim impact statement.

More detail on the amendments in the Bill is available in the Cabinet paper.  Progress of the Bill can be followed at www.parliament.govt.nz.

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Reform package for victims approved - 20 April 2011

Cabinet has approved a reform package that will enhance victims’ role in criminal justice processes, and improve how government agencies work alongside victims of crime.

The package is a result of consultation by the Ministry of Justice with government agencies, NGOs, legal groups, and the public.  It covers the most critical legislative and operational changes required to address the needs of victims.

Significant reforms in the package include:

These reforms are the latest in a wide programme of work to address the needs of victims of crime. They will build on the additional support for victims of serious crime funded by the Offender Levy and work on alternative pre-trial and trial processes for child witnesses.

The cabinet papers and regulatory impact statement are available here:

The Minister of Justice will introduce a Victims of Crime Reform Bill in mid 2011 implementing the package.  Once the Bill is introduced its progress can be followed at www.parliament.govt.nz.

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Previous Update

On 4 December 2009, Hon Simon Power, Minister of Justice released the public consultation document entitled A Focus on Victims of Crime: A Review of Victims' Rights. The Ministry of Justice consulted widely with government agencies and non-government organisations to ensure a range of views were canvassed.

The consultation document contains a number of proposals to enhance victims' rights and role in criminal justice processes by amending the Victims' Rights Act 2002, and to improve the responses of government agencies to victims of crime.

Anyone with an interest in victims' rights is encouraged to submit their views on the proposals in the consultation document. The Ministry of Justice will then review submissions and report to the Minister with recommendations.

Background

The Ministry of Justice is undertaking a review of victims' rights and access to support services. The Enhancing Victims' Rights Review (the Review) will ensure that the implementation of the Victims' Rights Act 2002 (the Act) has kept with the intent of Parliament and that victims' rights are being met across the justice system. The Review will cover the legislative, policy, and operational issues around the implementation of the Act.

A number of forums in New Zealand over the last few years have focused on victims of crime. These forums have included the Justice and Electoral Select Committee Inquiry into Victims' Rights and the National Party law and order policy paper on victims entitled Policy Briefing Paper: Putting Victims First. Recommendations from these forums have included enhancing victims' rights, improving the provision of information for victims about their rights, and the availability of support services for victims.

Broadly, the Enhancing Victims' Rights Review will include:

  • Enhancing the rights of victims by reviewing the provisions in the Act relating to information to and from victims, victim impact statements, and the provisions related to the victim notification system.
  • Improvements to information and services provided to victims including developing options to enhance the victim notification system, improving the provision of information to victims about their rights, as well as access to support services for victims.

More information

For more information, email VictimsRightsReview@justice.govt.nz

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