Victim Personal Statements

About the VPS

The VPS gives victims an opportunity to tell the criminal justice agencies and the magistrate or the judge about the effect a crime has had on their lives. It also helps the criminal justice agencies to understand fully the impact that the crime has had on the victim so that they can make decisions about the case. The VPS is optional. No pressure should be put on victims to make one if they don’t want to. However, it’s important that the victim understands the benefits of making one

What is the VPS?

A VPS is a statement written in the victim’s own words. It is different to the witness statement, which is a written or video-recorded account of what happened to the victim. The VPS can be taken at the same time as the witness statement, but it can also be taken at a later stage.

It can be used to:...