New Zealanders are calling for victims to receive a fairer share of funding in our justice system according to survey results released today by the Ministry of Justice, says Victim Support.

Up to 78 per cent of respondents to the 2019 Public Survey of Attitudes Toward the Justice System report think more public funds should be spent on supporting victims and preventing crime.

But currently just 51 cents per $100 is spent on victims.

“The report overwhelmingly shows New Zealanders want to see victims put at the centre of the justice system,” says Kevin Tso, Victim Support Chief Executive.

“Victim Support helps almost 40,000 victims of crime and trauma each year. We know first-hand how important it is to tip the scale in favour of victims.

“Our own Victims’ Voices* research supports this sentiment, with the majority of victims saying support is their most important justice need.

“Quality support after crime and throughout the justice process helps victims heal. It also plays a key role in prevention by giving victims more confidence to actually report crime.”

The report also shows 80 per cent of respondents think victims’ interests should be at the heart of the justice system.

“Putting victims first is something we are absolutely committed to. Genuine understanding that victims matter from all players in the criminal justice system is vital to reforming the sector.

“Victims feel the system revolves around the offender. They feel excluded and like they haven’t got a voice. This creates a real sense of injustice and even re-victimisation,” says Mr Tso.

An “unexpected” finding in the report is that only six per cent of highly-victimised people think the offender’s sentence should be for punishment, while 21 per cent of highly victimised people think the sentence should be to keep the community safe.

Mr Tso says this was also reflected in the organisation’s own research, in which victims said they live in fear and often only feel safe when the offender is in prison. They also want to keep others safe.

The other report released today, the NZ Crime and Victim Survey: Social Wellbeing and Perception of the Criminal Justice System also highlights the changes needed to support victims.

The report found only 40 per cent of victims of multiple crimes have confidence in the criminal justice system. This mirrors Victim Support’s 2019 research, in which only 41 per cent of serious crime victims in expressed faith in the justice system.

The report also shows that victims’ services, including Victim Support and the police, are viewed more positively than other parts of the justice system.

“The research shows that while there are many individual people right across the system who are supportive, the system as a whole is not working for victims and is not centred around their needs,” says Mr Tso.

“If we act on these findings, we have the potential for our criminal justice system to actually be part of victims’ healing, rather than compounding the harm they have already suffered.”

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