VICTIMS of crime, road accidents and anti-social behaviour are being given a bigger say in how they are treated after such incidents.

A survey is being held across North Yorkshire, the results of which will be used to help shape future services for victims.

Police and crime commissioner Julia Mulligan is trying to ascertain what people think a good supportive service should be like and what their actual experience has been as a victim.

And participants in the survey will need to have reported a crime or incident to North Yorkshire Police in the last 12 months.

From October this year the Home Office will transfer responsibility for commissioning the majority of locally delivered victim services to Police and Crime Commissioners. Currently, they are provided almost exclusively by the national charity Victim Support.

Mrs Mulligan said: “How victims are treated is essential to maintaining public trust in policing and is central to the values of North Yorkshire Police.

“By transferring the responsibility for victim support to Police and Crime Commissioners, we have a real opportunity to significantly improve the experience of victims of crime by tailoring the support services we offer to meet needs at a local level.

“I want to make sure that, under the new system, victims to have more say in the level of support they need, feel more supported and more likely to be able to return to life as normal.”

The survey is available on the Police and Crime Commissioner’s website - northyorkshire-pcc.gov.uk - until April 27.