A Point Worth Remembering Whenever You Hear The Word "Victim"

13th April, 2013

VICTIMS AND WITNESSES BILL ‘RISKS UNDERMINING PRESUMPTION OF INNOCENCE

"The terminology used in new legislation which aims to put “victims’ interests at the heart of improvements to the Scottish justice system” risks undermining the presumption of innocence, the Faculty of Advocates has warned.

In its response to the Scottish Parliament Justice Committee’s call for evidence on the Scottish Government’s Victims and Witnesses (Scotland) Bill, the representative body for the Scottish Bar said the use of the word “victim” rather than “complainer” creates an “implicit assumption” that the accused person is guilty of the alleged offence.""

http://www.scottishlegal.com/index.asp?cat=NEWS&Type=Criminal#50398