Stirling academic to help improve support for victims of crime

A Stirling academic has been appointed to a new Scottish Government taskforce which will improve support, advice and information for victims of crime.

Dr Margaret Malloch, Reader of Criminology at the University of Stirling, will join senior decision-makers from justice agencies, the legal profession, academia and the voluntary sector on the Victims Taskforce, which is co-chaired by the Justice Secretary Humza Yousaf and Lord Advocate James Wolffe QC.

Dr Malloch will represent the Scottish Centre for Crime and Justice Research (SCCJR) – of which she is Associate Director - on the taskforce.

She said: “The Scottish Centre for Crime and Justice Research is pleased to have been invited to participate in the Scottish Government Victims Taskforce and we look forward to contributing to this important work.

“SCCJR has considerable expertise in conducting independent academic research, much of which involves prioritising the experiences of victims of crime and their encounters with the criminal justice system. Our work also highlights the wider impact of harm that affects individual and community experiences of victimisation and we welcome this opportunity to collaborate with other participating organisations to improve the circumstances of victims and witnesses in the criminal justice in Scotland.”

The taskforce met for the first time this week to confirm their remit and membership, and to discuss how to engage more broadly with victims and witnesses.