Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Victim and Witness Hub: Updated Review
Task
Under the Victims' Code of Practice, victims and witnesses of crime are entitled to information, support, and protection, with Police and Crime Commissioners holding responsibility for commissioning local support services to help people cope and recover from the impact of crime. Cambridgeshire and Peterborough made history as the first area in the country to decommission the charity Victim Support and introduce a police-led Victims’ Hub. In the years that followed, the Witness Care Unit was integrated into the Victims’ Hub to form a single, unified service providing free, confidential, emotional and practical support to victims and witnesses of crime.
In 2023, TONIC was commissioned to conduct an independent strategic review of the Victim and Witness Hub (https://www.tonic.org.uk/campet-victimhub). Two years on, the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner (OPCC) engaged TONIC to carry out an updated review of the Hub. The aim was to evaluate progress against previously identified areas for improvement, explore how recommendations had been put into practice, and highlight any emerging challenges or further opportunities for development. This review also incorporated an independent appraisal of two specialist roles within the Hub that oversee Restorative Justice and support for those affected by serious and violent crime.
Our Approach
This project used a mixed-methods approach, drawing on qualitative and quantitative evidence. The approach was centred around primary data collection through semi-structured interviews with Hub staff, managers, volunteers, external partners, and service users. This was supplemented by secondary data analysis of the Hub’s service activity, monitoring and outcome data provided to TONIC by the OPCC.
For the specialist roles, the review involved in-depth interviews with post holders and stakeholders who work closely alongside them, as well as service user feedback. Findings were triangulated across sources to provide a balanced and robust assessment of delivery, strengths, and areas for development.
TONIC conducted a two-day in person site visit to the Hub and carried out in-depth interviews with 23 participants, comprising 13 professionals working within the Hub (including volunteers), eight external stakeholders, and two service users.
Outcome
A thematically organised report was produced, aiming to address each of the research questions set by the OPCC. The report outlined the updated victim and witness hub review findings, sectioned by service activity data and qualitative findings, followed by the review of specialist roles.