Victim support increasingly has the attention of police and justice authorities in The Netherlands. The so-called Terwee law, which came into effect nationwide on April 1, 1995, is aimed at improving the status of the victim in criminal proceedings. This publication focuses on the organisation of victim support. In other words, the way in which the aforementioned organisations organise and coordinate their victim support activities. This report is based on an evaluative study that was conducted on behalf of the Ministry of Justice. The evaluative study was a broad inventory of the experiences with the organisation of victim support in all nineteen districts (jurisdictions). The study took place in the period from November 1995 until February 1996. It is concluded that the Terwee law and directive have put a lot of things in motion: agreements have been reached and possible improvements have been given some thought. The actual realisation of the plans however is as yet not perfect: procedures must still take shape in practical terms.
Abstract