Online victims’ portal

Victims of crime need better access to case information in real time

Victims struggle to access the information they need to participate in the justice system, such as information about the progress of the prosecution and court dates.  

There is a need for more automated notification systems to assist justice agencies to meet their obligations to provide victims with relevant information and for victims to have the autonomy to track progress independently, as an active participant in the justice process.  

A multi-agency portal providing key information from police, prosecutions, court, victim support services and corrections would provide victims with a single source of information and link to their case.  

If established well, a victims’ hub or portal could significantly improve victims’ participation through providing more accurate and up-to-date information about their matter. Such a portal could also integrate with other ‘e-information’ systems such as e-referrals, case management systems and court listings. 

The Victims of Crime Commissioner urges the Victorian Government to invest funding to undertake an independent feasibility study to explore the viability of an online Victims’ Portal that would provide real-time information about cases, automatically communicate court dates and enable victims to submit Victim Impact Statements (VISs) electronically.