Claire Waxman OBE, an independent voice for victims. The official account for the Victims' Commissioner for England & Wales.
Petty France, Westminster
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Victims are waiting years for justice - delays that deepen their trauma and undermine confidence in the justice system.
In my interview with @ObserverUK, I explain why addressing the courts crisis must be the priority if we are to fix the wider system.
🔗observer.co.uk/news/national…
ALT Graphic featuring a portrait of Claire Waxman, Victims’ Commissioner for England and Wales. The graphic includes a quote from an interview with The Observer: “The system is fundamentally broken. We are leaving victims suffering these long waits for justice. We are losing victims and witnesses along the way, which means we don’t bring offenders to justice. That becomes a public safety issue.” Victims’ Commissioner logo displayed in the bottom left corner.
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What began as a prison crisis now threatens public safety.
The @HMIProbation report shows justice agencies are severely overstretched. With early releases starting 1 Oct, I’ll keep pushing Government for a plan that puts victim safety first.
Statement: victimscommissioner.org.uk/n…
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The Government’s rollout of specialist rape courts is a welcome step I first called for in 2021.
However, with record Crown Court backlogs, these trauma-informed standards must now reach every victim, in every courtroom across the system.
Full statement: victimscommissioner.org.uk/n…
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Productive meeting with Minister @JakeBenRichards on family courts, youth justice & sentencing.
Justice systems must never compound harm already suffered.
Looking forward to working together on reforms that deliver better justice and stronger protections for victims.
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Great to speak at the @Parole_Board conference.
While positive progress has been made through victim observation of hearings, more is needed to stop the relentless cycle leaving victims and families trapped. We must build a trauma-informed system that truly considers victims.
We were very grateful to have the Victims Commissioner for England and Wales @VictimsComm deliver a keynote speech at the Parole Board conference this week and discuss issues such as how the Board can involve victims sensitively in the parole process.
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We cannot hope to resolve the prison capacity crisis without addressing the crisis in our courts.
Court delays leave victims waiting years for justice while adding pressure to an overcrowded prison estate. It's a vicious cycle.
My letter in Guardian: 🔗theguardian.com/society/2026…
ALT Screenshot of a published letter by Claire Waxman, Victims’ Commissioner for England and Wales, in The Guardian. The excerpt argues that prisons, courts, probation and policing are interconnected and that the prison capacity crisis cannot be resolved without addressing delays in the courts. It states that court backlogs leave victims waiting years for justice, increase the remand population and add pressure to an overcrowded prison estate, and calls for a whole-system strategy for criminal justice.
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Victims' Commissioner for England & Wales retweeted
A warm welcome to @catkinson80, the new Chair of the Justice Committee.
Victims and families must be at the heart of justice reform. Their lived experience can help inform change to make our justice system more timely, effective and accessible.
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Victims' Commissioner for England & Wales retweeted
Claire Waxman is absolutely right: justice delayed is justice denied.
When victims are waiting years for trial, dropping out of cases and losing faith in the system, this is no longer just a backlog. It’s a justice and public safety crisis.
observer.co.uk/news/national…
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Victims' Commissioner for England & Wales retweeted
the courts and tribunals bill about to enter it's reports stage it's important to remember why it's nesassary. Cases like mine shouldn't take almost six years from report to sentencing. 60% of complainants withdraw leaving them with an injustice and their perp free to reoffend
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Productive meetings with Prisons Minister @CMcKinnellMP & Safeguarding Minister @LabourSatvir
As more prisoners are released early, victims must have confidence that promised safeguards will work. From instant tag breach alerts to strict exclusion zones, victims must come first.
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Lord Russell was right to press for clarity on how victims will be kept safe when offenders are released early.
Victims must have confidence that any breach of licence will be met with a swift and robust response. As Victims' Commissioner, I continue to seek those assurances.
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In this year's @HMICFRS annual report, no police force inspected was rated 'good' or 'outstanding' at investigating crime.
While police reform may hold promise, victims will judge it by whether it delivers better investigations, stronger safeguarding and improved outcomes.
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Victims' experiences must be at the heart of police reform.
Without that focus, we risk upending structures without improving outcomes.
Read my full statement and reaction to the State of Policing annual report: 🔗 victimscommissioner.org.uk/n…
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Good discussions with Attorney General and Courts Minister on reforms needed to strengthen the criminal justice system for victims.
The prison capacity crisis cannot be viewed in isolation. Court delays, backlogs and wider system pressures all have real consequences for victims.
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The PM's first statement to Parliament set out a vision for Britain's future.
Yet when the justice system has all the hallmarks of a national emergency, justice reform barely featured.
Any credible ‘Plan for Britain’ must include a plan for justice.
🔗 victimscommissioner.org.uk/n…
ALT Social media graphic from the Victims’ Commissioner for England and Wales. White text on a dark purple background displays a quote from Claire Waxman OBE: “Months into this crisis, I am still seeking assurance that Government has a credible answer to how it will manage more offenders in the community while managing risk, protecting victims, and ensuring agencies have the capacity to act quickly when warning signs emerge.” The graphic includes Claire Waxman’s name and title, and the Victims’ Commissioner logo.
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'This has the hallmarks of a national emergency'
Victims' Commissioner for England and Wales, Claire Waxman OBE, tells @skysarahjane 'the entire criminal justice system is on the brink of collapse'. | @VictimsComm
🇬🇧 The UK Tonight with Sarah-Jane Mee: piped.video/watch?v=wNsL-VtD…
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This started as a prison capacity crisis. As Victims' Commissioner, my concern is it now risks becoming a public safety issue.
Victims will be asking: will I be safe, and can I trust the system to protect me? Government must show it has the grip needed to keep people safe.
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Victims affected by the early release scheme will start receiving letters today. Many will be looking for reassurance about what protections will be put in place to keep them safe. My concern is that promises may be outpacing what overstretched services can realistically deliver.
'I've got thousands of victims across the country desperate to know the situation'
Claire Waxman, victims' commissioner for England and Wales, told #BBCBreakfast she has concerns about the plans for hundreds of offenders to freed under the early release plan to ease prison overcrowding
bbc.co.uk/news/live/cmeq8x51…
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Domestic abusers and stalkers being released early makes effective risk management more urgent than ever.
Probation must use every safety tool available, including new Restriction Zones. Where rehabilitation has failed, breaches must be acted on swiftly.
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Today’s announcement will provide relief for some victims and families, but for thousands of others clarity is needed on what this means for them. After months of uncertainty and confusion, announcing changes on a bank holiday furthers that trauma. I speak to @bbc5live about this
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