The protocol recognises the undisputed fact that delays in the criminal justice system are detrimental to child victims and child defendants. It recognises the vulnerability of those children and the impact that delays in the system can have on their lives as well as on the fairness of the court process.
The signatories to the protocol have demonstrated their commitment to supporting children throughout the criminal justice process. The purpose of the protocol is to set out and detail the working arrangements between the signatories to achieve the objective of expediting cases involving child victims and child defendants.
