Police and Crime Commissioner Rupert Matthews has launched a re-tender process to appoint a provider to deliver on his vision to enhance the care victims of crime receive.

Following a review of the current service, the Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland Police and Crime Commissioner has developed a new model of support for victims of crime across the city and two counties under the existing Victim First banner.

The PCC is looking to appoint a single provider to deliver the contract, worth up to £1.5m over the next three years. The service will launch from April 2024.

More than 70,000 victims and witnesses of crime or anti-social behaviour (ASB) every year will be eligible for advice and support through the refreshed Victim First service. Around 30 per cent of these are likely to 'opt in' to receive the help available.

The new system will deliver a raft of enhanced help services including initial telephone and triage support, ongoing trauma trained phone and face-to-face support and specialist support for young people aged under 18 and 19-24-year-olds. 

It will also deliver a restorative justice service to support out of court disposals and reduce reoffending. This is an approach to justice that aims to help repair the harm caused by crime by creating an opportunity for victims and those responsible for the offence to meet, discuss what happened and communicate their needs.

Services across Rutland and Leicestershire will focus on the Victim First. Image credit: Nub News.

Furthermore, the service will deliver improved digital engagement so victims can access services easily from mobile devices.

Launching the re-tender, Mr Matthews said: "Victims of crime are the heart of everything I do as Commissioner. It is vital we provide the right professional care from the very beginning to support the recovery process and reduce the future risk of harm. It is important to point out that the current service is very good. I simply want to make sure it is even better!

"No two victims of crime are the same, and not all require help immediately. The support we offer must cater for these differences and ensure that victims have multiple opportunities to accept help regardless of where they are in the justice journey. 

"Improving services for victims of crime is a key priority in my Police and Crime Plan. Through the delivery of improved victim care and a stronger focus on restorative justice, I want to give victims more control over their recovery and give them the tools they need to live safely and confidently in future.

"I also recognise that victims who feel believed and supported are much more likely to support criminal justice proceedings - this will help my plans to bring more offenders to justice."

Victim First was originally launched in October 2015 to provide a single support service for all victims of crime. The PCC commissions other specialist services separately for which victims will be referred or signposted, if appropriate, upon initial contact with Victim First.

During 2022-23, the service offered enhanced support in 2,482 cases. The majority of these (28 per cent) were related to assault offences, followed by harassment (10 per cent) and public order offences (eight percent).

The new Victim First model will run from April 2024 to March 2027. It will promote proactive relationships and referrals with other criminal justice departments including Witness Care, Witness Service, CPS Victim Liaison Unit and other specialist officer roles.

The chosen provider will need to undertake proactive and ongoing community engagement, particularly those that are under-represented, to raise awareness of the support services available.

Details regarding the tender process can be found online, and the deadline for submitting responses to the tender is October 6 2023.