+44 (0)7850 50 68 64

Victim Support develops Victim Awareness Course

 

Victim SupportVictim Support, a charity that supports people affected by crime, have developed a new programme to tackle criminal behaviour at the earliest opportunity so as to prevent further offending.  The course entitled the Victim Awareness Course (VAC) works with first time low level offenders to help them explore the impact of crime on a victim and develops thinking surrounding making better choices.

The VAC is part of a conditional caution and provides an option for anyone aged 18 and over, who has committed a low level volume crime, an alternative to court prosecution. The course lasting three hours explores attitudes to crimes, victim and community impact as well as the impact on the perpetrator.

Positive results are already being seen. An independent evaluation was undertaken by Portsmouth University and found that 89% of attendees said that the course had been of benefit to them, 86% said the course helped them to think about how the victim felt, and 70% said that they would “definitely” behave differently in the future.

The pilot is being rolled out across the UK and in Hampshire, Lena Samuels of Wessex Media Group (WMG), is delivering the training. To find out more about the course and how it works watch the video below.

14th October 2015