The Government is committed to improving the treatment of victims of crime. This document is issued as part of Action for Justice, the implementation programme for Speaking up for Justice, the report of the interdepartmental review of vulnerable or intimidated witnesses. That report made a series of recommendations covering the investigation through to the trial and beyond, with the aim of assisting vulnerable or intimidated witnesses to give their best evidence.
The identification of vulnerable witnesses at the investigation stage is fundamental to the operation of the whole Speaking up for Justice scheme. This document is designed to assist the police in such identification, through a series of prompts, and to provide guidance on making an overall assessment of the needs of an individual witness.