DPP releases new statement to help protect victims and witnesses of crime
Updated at 6.33pm: Director of Public Prosecutions Grenville Cross SC announced on Wednesday the public release of a new statement designed to improve the treatment of victims and witnesses involved in court cases in Hong Kong.
Mr Cross released The Statement on the Treatment of Victims and Witnesses at a media briefing of the Yearly Review of the Prosecutions Division 2003.
He said the statement indicated how prosecutors believed victims and witnesses should be treated and also ways prosecutors could safeguard their interests.
'The statement is a road map for prosecutors. It places victims and witnesses at the heart of our calculations in the course of decision-making, in the course of criminal proceedings and after trials or appeals are over,' explained Mr Grenville.
He said the statement was a 'practical document' designed to help those involved in the criminal process.
'The statement is a pact between prosecutors and those people who are the victims of crime and the witnesses to crime. We commend it to the community,'' Mr Cross added.
The statement covers a number of areas. These include: improved guidance for witnesses in court; better arrangements for victims; greater support for civilian witnesses and better ways of compensating victims of crime.
It also examines witness protection, the safety of victims and witnesses; and how to handle appeals to the High Court.
In its introduction, the statement says: 'Victims and witnesses are essential to the success of the criminal justice system... they need to know they will be treated throughout with respect and understanding.'
Mr Cross also said that in 2003 the Prosecutions Division had introduced a number of criminal justice initiatives. 'A policy of transparency was pursued to enable the public to better understand our decisions. We worked closely with prosecutors from elsewhere in order to combat transnational crime more effectively,' he said. The DPP noted that in 2003, prosecutors pursued 210,055 prosecutions - down from 213,467 in 2002.
The division also offered 16,820 'legal advices' last year - an increase from 16,579 in 2002.
