Victim First Services

Victim First and Target Hardening Services

Becoming a victim or indeed witness of crime or high level anti-social behaviour can have a significant physical, emotional and financial impact. The Leicestershire Police and Crime Commissioner is seeking to award 2 lots in relation to the support of victims and witnesses (hereafter referred to as "victims" for brevity) of crime in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland (LLR).

Lot 1 - Victim First.

Whilst police officers are able to give some support to victims as part of their broader role, specialist support is required to fully enable victims to cope and recover from the impact that the crime has had on them. The Victim First service is intended to be the primary service across LLR that provides this cope and recovery support (including restorative justice) to enable victims to move on positively with their lives.

The service will be based within the community, providing cope and recovery services throughout the victim journey (from reporting of crime through to any court appearances, restorative justice and release of offender).

Victim First has been in existence since October 2015 and has established itself as a strong brand across LLR. The provider of the Victim First service will continue to use the Victim First brand and will be expected to grow its presence, awareness and reputation across LLR. This service (Victim First (2018)) will build on the existing service with expansion of provision to young people, increasing access to support and a greater community presence across LLR.

The service is being commissioned by the Leicestershire Police and Crime Commissioner who is, in part, making use of Victims Grant funding from the Ministry of Justice. The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) are currently consulting on the potential of devolving further specialist victim services (such as the court based witness service). This contract is being set up in such a way that, should these further services be devolved within the life of this contract, they can be added to this contract by way of a mutually developed/agreed contract variation.

Lot 2 - Target Hardening

The Leicestershire Police and Crime Commissioner is commissioning a Victim First service (Lot 1) and currently co-commissions with local authorities an information and support service for victims of sexual and/or domestic abuse/violence. The Target Hardening service will exclusively receive referrals from these two victim support services to provide a home security service to victims of crime living in LLR.

The service will, in a timely manner, undertake home security checks and advice as well as providing and fitting (where fitting is required) products which will enhance the security of the home.

The contract period is from 1st August 2018 to 31st July 2021 with an option to extend for a further two year period.