New NGO to support victims of crime

The Criminal Justice Bureau for Victims of Crime, an NGO, should be up and running by the middle of the year, finally providing a much-needed lifeline for victims.

Its director Mark Montebello said the bureau was already helping 10 victims, yet the service could not be officially launched until the permits for the premises were issued.

"Once we get the green light, the bureau will be up and running. At the moment victims' rights are being abused - compensation for victims of crime is practically zero. This bureau will work to provide a support system solely for victims," Rev. Dr Montebello said.

The bureau, which will become affiliated with the European Forum for Victim Services in the coming weeks, is intended to provide information and serve as a support system for victims.

This voluntary organisation, a branch of the Dar it-tama foundation that works among prisoners and their families, will not operate on a full-scale basis immediately since its development needs thorough professionalism and accountability, he said.

Mid-Dlam ghad-Dawl, the organisation that works for the well-being of prisoners and their families, is behind the service.

The setting up of the bureau entails considerable coordination and collaboration with various entities within the criminal justice system but Fr Montebello said the feedback so far had been extremely encouraging.

The bureau and especially victims of crime were discussed at great length during a half-day conference on Victims of Crime: Towards a Better Future, held at Robert Samut Hall, Floriana on Friday.

One common theme throughout the presentation by the various speakers was the fact that victims of crime had been cast aside by the criminal justice system.

Edward Saliba, an expert in victimology, pointed out that the EU had incorporated the subject of the rights of victims of crime in its action plan on freedom, security and justice. "This is heartening because it encourages governments to implement laws which protect the victims," he said.

In his extensive presentation, Dr Saliba delved into the European Convention on the Compensation of Victims of Violent Crimes (1983), which has been ratified by 17 countries and signed by another eight.

Unfortunately, Malta has still not ratified this convention, which provides a model as to how to provide compensation in cases where the victim cannot pay back the accused, he said.

"Certainly, if Malta ratifies and signs this convention it will be an important step towards obliging the government to formulate the necessary legislative and administrative arrangements to compensate the victim on the basis of the convention," he said.

Another speaker, Jacqueline Azzopardi, director of the Institute for Forensic Studies, spoke about how many crimes went unreported, especially cases of domestic violence.

She spoke about how hard it was to get a clear picture of the situation and mentioned that a Maltese crime victim survey had been carried out in 1997 among 1,000 families. The institute was now investigating how it could carry out a similar study.

Commonwealth Foundation chairman and President Emeritus Guido de Marco insisted that when considering the victims of crime it was essential to remember that there was no greater injustice than condemning someone unjustly.

"The subject on victims of crime should be discussed within the parameters of the Constitution and the European Convention on Human Rights. If we move away from this then the liberty of each and every one of us will be threatened," he insisted.

However, Prof. De Marco said it would be a greater mistake to forget the victims of crime and it was essential that they were protected and supported.

Chief Justice Vincent Degaetano said it was important to look at the practical aspect of how the victim featured in the island's criminal justice system.

He went on to discuss how at the end of the day what was important to the victim, apart from being treated well and supported, was to receive some form of compensation. Dr Degaetano also went into detail as to how the Justice White Paper was working to tackle the issue.

Malta Insurance Association director Anton Felice, Malta Association for Human Rights spokesman David Zammit and Criminal Justice Bureau coordinator Rachel Agius were among the speakers.