Victims and witnesses of crime are being asked to share their experiences of the police and criminal justice system to ensure that people in Greater Manchester are getting the best support possible. 
A new survey has launched to find out why victims and witnesses did or did not report a crime to the police, their experiences of the service they received from Greater Manchester Police and the courts, what support they accessed to help them cope and recover, and their experiences of the support.
The survey will contribute to future decisions about which victim support services the Greater Manchester Combined Authority commissions and help identify improvements that are needed to the criminal justice system.
Deputy Mayor for Police and Crime, Bev Hughes said: “Every person who is a victim of or witnesses crime will have a different experience and therefore have different views about the kind of help and support they need. Whilst some experiences of crime are frustrating and annoying, others can be devastating.
“We want to hear as wide a range of views as possible to make sure we have the services people need and provide the best possible support for anyone affected by crime in Greater Manchester.
“We want to understand all aspects of people’s experiences including whether or not they reported the crime, if not, why not, what they thought of the support they received and what additional support or practical help would have wanted.”
Running alongside the survey will be a chance for service providers, academics and voluntary, community and social enterprise organisations to submit documentation and data. A mixture of focus groups and direct interviews will also be carried out with victims and witnesses of crime in Greater Manchester.
The survey can be completed here: www.gmconsult.org/strategy-team/victimsandwitnesses2019/ until 29 September 2019.
For further information, visit: www.greatermanchester-ca.gov.uk/news/victims-and-witnesses-of-crime-asked-for-their-views-on-gmp-and-the-criminal-justice-system/