Reporting a crime
If you have been a victim of crime, you may be wondering whether you should report what has happened to the police. It is perfectly normal to feel unsure about whether you would like to report or not, and to worry about what might happen after you report. SAFE! can support you whether you report a crime or not. Should you choose to do so, we can support you by providing information regarding the criminal justice process and speaking to the police on your behalf to receive updates whilst the crime is being investigated.
How to report a crime
If a crime is ongoing and anyone is at risk of serious harm, please call 999 as soon as possible.
You can call 101 to report crimes that do not require an emergency response.
This can include theft, anti-social behaviour, or you can provide information about a crime that is not ongoing, such as previous incident of domestic abuse or a past sexual offence.
Crimestoppers have a youth service called Fearless, if you think you’d feel more comfortable providing information to an organisation that’s aimed at younger people and would prefer to give information anonymously, this may be a good fit for you.
Please note that this service is aimed at people who are not a direct victim of an offence. In these circumstances, you will need to contact the police . For more information, please visit their website.
Victim’s Code of Practice
To ensure that young people who report a crime receive an appropriate level of service from the criminal justice system, a Victim’s Code of Practice has been established. This can help to give you an idea of the treatment you can expect to receive from all parties involved in the criminal justice process, and whether you should put in a complaint if these expectations are not met.
This sets out 12 rights for victims of crime:
- To be able to understand and to be understood
- To have the details of the crime recorded without unjustified delay
- To be provided with information when reporting the crime
- To be referred to services that support victims and have services and support tailored to your needs
- To be provided with information about compensation
- To be provided with information about the investigation and prosecution
- To make a Victim Personal Statement
- To be given information about the trial, trial process and your role as a witness
- To be given information about the outcome of the case and any appeals
- To be paid expenses and have property returned
- To be given information about the offender following a conviction
- To make a complaint about your rights not being met
Making a claim to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority
CICA is a government organisation that was created to compensate the blameless victims of violent crime. People who have been physically or mentally injured can apply to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority for compensation ranging from £1,000 to £500,000. Caregivers who have parental responsibility for a child can complete an application on their behalf, provided that you can provide proof of your relationship to the young victim.