The Crown Prosecution Service can give you access to registered intermediaries to help vulnerable victims and witnesses communicate more effectively.

What does the Witness Intermediary Scheme offer?

• Access to National Vulnerable Witness and Intermediary Adviser
• A matching service to find the best intermediary for your witness
• Access to other areas such as crime and covert advice

What are the benefits of the scheme?

• Improved all-round communication
• Operational support and guidance to front-line officers
• Increased chance to bring someone to justice
• Helps victims and witnesses to ‘achieve best evidence’
• Increased confidence in criminal justice system by vulnerable witnesses
• Better, more informed decision making by courts and lawyers

Why are intermediaries necessary?

Some vulnerable witnesses (including victims) need assistance with communication and understanding in order to give their best evidence -

• intermediaries can assist them in communicating during an investigation and at trial. Intermediaries will help to make the justice process accessible to some of the most vulnerable people in our society. In some cases an intermediary will be the difference between a witness being able to testify or not.