Victims' Services - Voice

Ensuring victims of crime and anti-social behaviour receive the very best support is at the heart of the Police and Crime Plan. Victims want one place to support them whether they wish to go through the criminal justice process or just want practical and emotional support. The PFCC has set up Voice for Victims and Witnesses to be the single, go to place for victims of crime, of any age, in Northamptonshire to get the support they need.

Voice is free and confidential and supports children and adults whether they report the crime to the police or not. Road traffic collision victims are also supported.

For more information on Voice and how it can support you, visit www.voicenorthants.org or call 0300 303 1965.

Community Trigger

What is the Community Trigger?

The Community Trigger is designed to give victims of anti-social behaviour (ASB) the right to request a review of their case and bring agencies together to take a joined up, problem solving approach to find a solution.

It is also called the ASB Case Review.

When can I activate the Community Trigger?

The Community Trigger can be used if you have complained to your local Council, the police and/or a registered housing provider (social landlord) on 3 or more occasions about separate incidents in the past 6 months.

Each incident of anti-social behaviour must have been reported within one month of it happening.

This is called the threshold.  If the threshold is not met the case review will not occur.

How do I activate the Community Trigger?

If you decide to activate the Community Trigger you will need to give the following details:

• Dates of each time you’ve complained
• Details of where you complained (name, organisation and/or incident reference number)
• Information about the anti-social behaviour

Further information can be how to activate the trigger in each local area can be found at:

• Corby
• Daventry
• East Northamptonshire
• Kettering
• Northampton
• South Northamptonshire
• Wellingborough

Northamptonshire Police

https://archive.northants.police.uk/page/reviewing-how-asb-dealt-community-trigger

What can I expect?

Once you have activated the Community Trigger, agencies must decide whether or not the threshold has been met. The threshold decision will be made by managers from the police, council and housing providers.  This decision will be made within 10 working days.

If the threshold is met, a case review will be undertaken by partner agencies. The group will review how the partnership has responded to include sharing of information, reviewing actions already taken, and if necessary, make recommendations on how the problem can be resolved. This review will take place within 21 days of the decision being made.

Each victim has the right to appeal the decisions made by the panel (regarding whether or not the threshold has been met – or with the decision made at the review stage). For council, appeals will be considered by the Community Safety Partnership.  Appeals will be heard within 15 working days of the appeal being received.

Victims will be represented throughout the process by [an ASB Victims Champion or similar officer focused on the victims’ perspective].  You will be notified at each step of the process what is happening with your application.

Help with completing online forms

If you don’t have access to a computer, you can visit a library where you can use a self-service PC to complete your application.  Staff are available to support you if you need it.​​​​​​​

If you are unsure whether the Community Trigger is right for you or need any help preparing your application please call the relevant councils Community Safety Partnership to discuss.

Community Remedy

Some crimes and anti-social behaviour incidents can be suitable for dealing with outside of courts. These are known as out of court disposals.

This document fulfils the statutory duty, known as the Community Remedy and outlined in Section 101 of the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, on Northamptonshire Police and Crime Commissioner and Northamptonshire Police to involve victims in having a say on how offenders are dealt with.

The Police and Crime Commissioner has a statutory duty to consult with the public on the options they would consider appropriate to appear within the Community Remedy for Northamptonshire. Details can be found here.