The Attorney-General, the Hon. Jaclyn Symes has launched the Office of Public Prosecution’s new website and a new video series aimed at helping victims, witnesses and the broader community gain a better understanding of what to expect during the prosecution process.
The OPP engaged with focus groups made up of victims, witnesses and the broader community in the early stages of the website redevelopment and video series production process. Participants told us that the prosecution process was complicated and difficult to navigate and that they wanted information in different formats to suit their different learning styles.
The OPP website was then redesigned and rewritten to help users find the information they need.
The focus group feedback also showed that there can be a misunderstanding between expectations of the prosecution process and reality. These topics were the starting point for the 16-part video series.
Hosted by Richard Roxburgh, the videos explain who the OPP is, what the OPP does, and what to expect at some key moments in the prosecution process.
The series was filmed inside the courts to help people understand what to expect if they do have to go to court, such as what the courtroom looks like, who will be sitting where and what each person’s role is.
“When I was appointed Director some years ago, I said that I wanted to be remembered as a Director who was respectful towards victims,” said Director of Public Prosecutions Kerri Judd QC.
“We can’t turn back time, we can’t bring back the loved ones of victims, we can’t guarantee convictions or sentencing outcomes and sometimes we have to make decisions that victims do not like.”
“What we can do is try to assist victims navigate the prosecution process in a way that reduces their stress and provides them with information. I hope that this package of initiatives assists those aims.”