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Victim Contact Scheme

If you are a victim of a violent or sexual offence, you may be able to join the Victim Contact Scheme.

You may be eligible to join the Victim Contact Scheme if:

  • you’re a victim of a serious sexual or violent crime, and
  • the offender has received a custodial sentence of 12 months or more.

Through the scheme, you’ll be appointed a victim liaison officer who can give you information about:

  • the offender’s sentence
  • any developments during the sentence
  • when the offender is going to be released.

If you haven’t been asked to join already or have declined previously and changed your mind, you can email vcsenquiries@justice.gov.uk to request to join.

If you decide not to join the Victim Contact Scheme you can ask to receive information about the offender from the Victim Notification Scheme (VNS). The VNS provides victims with information about the release of an offender. The scheme applies to offenders who are sentenced to prison or subject to a Compulsion and Restriction Order.

What you can expect

  • You can be told if the offender is being considered for release
  • You can be told if the offender has moved to an open prison
  • You can request additional conditions for the offender, such as staying away from your home
  • You can be told if the offender is up for parole