Systemic Inquiries
The Commissioner’s approach.
Under the Victims of Crime Commissioner’s Act 2015, the Commissioner can conduct inquiries into systemic issues that affect victims of crime.
Systemic issues are those that occur repeatedly for victims, and inquiries are one of the key tools the Commissioner has to highlight these issues and improve the justice system for victims in the future.
The Commissioner has developed principles to guide her approach to systemic inquiries.
These principles ensure the Commissioner:
- Listens to victims’ voices and considers their needs.
- Incorporates both victims’ experiences and information gathered from other research, consultation and engagement activities.
The Commissioner uses a range of information, data and insights to plan her systemic inquiries. This ensures systemic inquiry topics reflect issues that are of concern to victims of crime and other members of the Victorian community.
This includes using information gathered from the Commissioner’s:
- Engagement activities with victims of crime and other stakeholders.
- Monitoring the compliance of criminal justice and victims’ services agencies’ with the Victims’ Charter.
- Investigation of complaints made by victims about their treatment by justice agencies and victims’ services under the Victims’ Charter.
- Policy and research activities.
Video: What is a systemic inquiry and how does it help victims of crime?
