Victims’ Code

The Code of Practice for Victims of Crime

Please follow this link to view The Code of Practice for Victims of Crime.

Dorset Police and our criminal justice partners are committed to giving victims the best possible service at all times.

The Code of Practice for Victims of Crime, also commonly known as the Victims’ Code, gives victims a legal right to receive a minimum standard of service from the criminal justice system.

The Code explains what the criminal justice process is, what criminal justice agencies will do to support victims of crime, and details exactly what victims can expect from the criminal justice system. 

Key rights under the Code include:  

• The right to be kept informed about case progress by the police. 
• The right to hear when a suspect is arrested, charged, bailed or sentenced. 
• The right to apply for special measures in court for vulnerable or intimidated victims. 
• The right to be told when an offender will be released, if the offender in question has been sentenced to a year or more in prison for a violent or sexual offence. 
• The right to be referred to Victim Support.

Further information about the Victims Code is available in the useful links section to the right of this page.