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Victim Support in England and Wales

Victim Support in England and Wales emerged in the 1970s and spread throughout the UK. In doing so, it became established as the national victims’ service, offering support for victims of most types of crime. Valued under Conservative governments as an example of community-based support, it became more professionalised and better funded under New Labour. However, in the age of austerity the coalition government sought to restrict growth and adopt greater competition for government grants, and a move towards contracting services locally through Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) has meant a further readjustment of provisions for crime victims, with significant implications for the future of Victim Support. This paper speculates on whether this spells the end of an era for Victim Support, or indeed a case of ‘back to the future’, ending the distinctive generic service that Victim Support has established. This may provide lessons for the future of victim services in other countries where developments came rather later.