media releases

Law Commission Changes Welcomed by Victim Support

30 June 2005

Victim Support today welcomed the proposed changes to the NZ Court System put forward by the Law Commission.

Describing the changes as not before time, Victim Support Chief Executive Mr Steve Caldwell said, “The amount of time some victims have to wait to see justice done is totally unacceptable, particularly when most of the delays are caused by administrative blunders, or lawyers who are unprepared.”

Mr Caldwell was especially supportive of the proposed sanctions against lawyers who fail to meet their responsibilities and seek adjournments because they are unprepared. “If the success of our justice system was determined by the level of stress and trauma experienced by victims, then our record to date would be abysmal. Each time a case is delayed or adjourned, the confidence victims have in the system is diminished and the stress and trauma they experience is increased exponentially”.

Mr Caldwell was however disappointed that the report did not address issues of victim participation in the pre-trial process. “Reforming our criminal justice system, as requested by 92% of New Zealanders in the 1999 referendum, is not just about improving the efficiency of the system”. “Of equal importance must be improving victim participation and involvement”, he said. “If more emphasis is being put on early resolution, which includes greater discretion with regard to negotiating the charges to be laid, then it would be a massive injustice not to include the victim in this process.

"While the proposed changes will ensure more timely justice there is more potential for the victim to feel excluded and passed over”, he said.