THE ROLE OF VIA The Development of COPFS’ Victim Information and Advice Service 1. A central component of the COPFS strategy for victims and witnesses in Scotland has been the service delivered by the Victim Information and Advice service (VIA). 2. VIA was first launched in June 2002 with the aim of making the experience of a criminal prosecution less traumatic for victims, witnesses and next of kin. It was intended to increase their access to justice by facilitating provision of information and signposting of support. It was recognised that COPFS was uniquely placed to provide information about individual case progress and decisions. 3. The intention at the time of VIA’s creation was to offer any victim in a solemn case who was known to be (or likely to be) vulnerable: information about the criminal justice system generally; information about the case they were involved with; and referral to local support agencies which could offer support or counselling. 4. In 2008, the VIA service extended its remit to certain summary cases. Specific categories of crime in which VIA receives a referral have extended considerably over the past 12 years, sometimes in response to emerging research or awareness raising campaigns, but also as COPFS has developed its own understanding through experience of dealing with vulnerable people and seeing, first hand, the effects of crime on victims. For example, stalking cases and cases with witnesses aged over 60 years are now referred to reflect our priorities in prosecuting these particular types of crime. 5. An important aspect of the VIA service, from inception, has been that information is provided to victims, witnesses and next of kin pro-actively with information and updates being provided, regardless of whether or not the victim maintains contact with VIA. Procurators Fiscal refer victims to VIA in appropriate cases and, thereafter, the service is provided unless, or until, a victim out”. The rationale behind this “opts approach (which was promoted by groups supporting victims) was to ensure that the most vulnerable victims did not lose out on the service as a result of a failure to understand or appreciate the offer which was being made, or as a result of a lack of stability in their personal circumstances or a simply disinclination to engage with the process. This approach has remained unique to VIA.
THE ROLE OF VIA The Development of COPFS’ Victim Information and Advice Service 1. A central component of the COPFS strategy for victims and witnesses in Scotland has been the service delivered by the Victim Information and Advice service (VIA). 2. VIA was first launched in June 2002 with the aim of making the experience of a criminal prosecution less traumatic for victims, witnesses and next of kin. It was intended to increase their access to justice by facilitating provision of information and signposting of support. It was recognised that COPFS was uniquely placed to provide information about individual case progress and decisions. 3. The intention at the time of VIA’s creation was to offer any victim in a solemn case who was known to be (or likely to be) vulnerable: information about the criminal justice system generally; information about the case they were involved with; and referral to local support agencies which could offer support or counselling. 4. In 2008, the VIA service extended its remit to certain summary cases. Specific categories of crime in which VIA receives a referral have extended considerably over the past 12 years, sometimes in response to emerging research or awareness raising campaigns, but also as COPFS has developed its own understanding through experience of dealing with vulnerable people and seeing, first hand, the effects of crime on victims. For example, stalking cases and cases with witnesses aged over 60 years are now referred to reflect our priorities in prosecuting these particular types of crime. 5. An important aspect of the VIA service, from inception, has been that information is provided to victims, witnesses and next of kin pro-actively with information and updates being provided, regardless of whether or not the victim maintains contact with VIA. Procurators Fiscal refer victims to VIA in appropriate cases and, thereafter, the service is provided unless, or until, a victim “opts out”. The rationale behind this approach (which was promoted by groups supporting victims) was to ensure that the most vulnerable victims did not lose out on the service as a result of a failure to understand or appreciate the offer which was being made, or as a result of a lack of stability in their personal circumstances or a simply disinclination to engage with the process. This approach has remained unique to VIA.
COPFS%20Fact%20Sheet%204%20-%20THE%20ROLE%20OF%20VIA%20October%202016.docx