Victims
It is very important to South Yorkshire Probation Trust that
care and support is provided to victims. Our Victim Contact Unit
has highly skilled officers based in Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham
and Sheffield. They provide information to victims of sexual or
violent crime, or their families, about offenders given custodial
sentences of 12 months or more.
Victims and families are kept informed about the offender's
sentence, progress in prison, how decisions are made about release
from prison, safeguards available to them after the offender is
released and can make referals for help from schemes such as Victim
Support. They are offered face to face appointments with unit
staff, where they can express views, raise concerns and make sure
their wishes are known.
Concerns about an offender can be passed onto prison authorities
and taken into account when release is being considered. When an
offender is released on licence from prison, this can include
conditions to keep away from the victim and their home. Failure to
comply can lead to their licence being revoked and the offender
being returned to custody.
The probation service also works with offenders to make them
understand the impact their crimes have had, and may continue to
have, on their victims.