Domestic Violence
23rd March 2010
David Burrowes calls on the Government to do more to ensure justice for victims of crime.
Mr. David Burrowes (Enfield, Southgate) (Con): How can it be just that last year, about 40,000 victims of violence saw their cases not taken to court but dealt with by a caution, and four out of five offenders who made it to court were not ordered to pay compensation? In the dying days of this Government, will the Minister ensure that we have not just a national victims service but national victims' justice, so that we see more offenders convicted in court and made to pay back for their crimes?
Claire Ward: This Government have done far more for victims by introducing the national victims service, which will provide caseworkers for those who are affected by the most serious crimes and those who are the most vulnerable. In addition to bringing more criminal cases, the Crown Prosecution Service continues to improve its performance in respect of domestic violence, and the charge to conviction rate for 2008-09 was 72.2 per cent., exceeding the CPS's target of the previous year.
