Violent crime victims waiting for desperately needed financial help
UPDATE: ONE crime victim every week is complaining about the long wait for desperately needed financial help to recover from their ordeal.
Law & Order
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ONE crime victim every week is complaining about the long wait for desperately needed financial help to recover from their ordeal.
Some victims of crime are waiting up to two years to be compensated, it has been revealed.
Victims of Crime Commissioner Greg Davies said his office received a complaint every week from a victim about their claim.
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“We get more complaints about VOCAT (Victims of Crime Assistance Tribunal) claims than any other,” he said.
The high number of complaints had led the Commissioner to believe there was a systemic issue.
That is why his office plans to make a submission to a Victorian Law Reform Commission review into the tribunal.
Mr Davies said he had seen some victims languish for more than two years while waiting for their application to be approved, while on average it took nine months.
“It takes nine months to create a human being, surely we can have a victim of violent crime assisted through VOCAT in weeks or one or two months,” he said.
“The lengthy delay was usually not due to VOCAT itself.
“It appears that most of the delay is caused by incomplete claims, whether done by the applicant or the legal representative.”
Decorated former homicide squad detective Ron Iddles revealed the delay in his first report as Victoria’s community safety trustee.
Mr Iddles, who was appointed by Labor to the new post in April, will monitor 63 government initiatives aimed at tackling Victoria’s crime scourge over the next four years.
He has demanded an overhaul of the Victims of Crime Assistance Tribunal, which was set up in 1997.
“Currently, on average, it takes around nine months to finalise an application, and some matters span more than two years,” he writes.
“If the approach is ‘victims first’, then the current process warrants review, in the interests of quick resolution for victims,” Mr Iddles said.
He report stated that the “limited capacity” of the Victims of Crime Commissioner’s office was a “matter for consideration moving forward”.
The office only has two full time staff to assist victims.
But $3.41m has been committed over four years and would enable the office to hire one more full time staff member this financial year.
A primary victim may be awarded up to $60,000 for reasonable expenses incurred in recovering from the crime, and special assistance of up to $10,000; secondary and related victims may be awarded up to $50,000
Mr Iddles’ first progress report also warns the Police Academy will soon be stretched, given a government pledge to recruit 2729 police and 100 Protective Services Officers in the next four years.
“It is my view that with the Police Academy being at near-capacity, physical resources will predictably be strained,” Mr Iddles writes.
His report says that to achieve the promised number of recruits, 18,000 applicants will be needed. Victoria Police currently accepts about 15 per cent of applicants.
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Mr Iddles also urged caution over the rollout of body cameras for police.
“The introduction of cameras is no simple task ... delivery of this commitment needs to be managed with care,” he said.
“If video is to be used as witness testimony, changes to criminal proceedings and evidence legislation will be required,” Mr Iddles said.
He suggested a more co-ordinated approach, consistent statewide, was needed to engage with local communities.
And his report highlighted a number of areas where government investment has already had a positive impact.
The introduction of custody officers at 22 police stations across Victoria has allowed regular officers to get back out on the beat.
And a new hi-tech 24-hour intelligence hub is also up and running.
Also, a number of tough new laws have been introduced to the parliament.
Police Minister Lisa Neville welcomed the report, saying that Mr Iddles’ work was “helping to ensure the government and police are delivering on our promises to Victorians.”
Mr Iddles said he was working to ensure that government, police and others were held to account for delivering on promises in full and on time.
He reports biannually, and his next report to the government is due by year’s end.