Witness Support
Witness support is a service aimed for witnesses of criminal cases. Anyone can become a witness of a crime. It is a citizen duty to testify in a criminal case.
In terms of solving the crime, it is important that a witness of a crime reports his/her observations to the police. The witness’s observations could play a decisive role in solving a criminal case and the offender may be able to be charged, which in turn can prevent crimes in the future. You can report something you witnessed to your local police either by phone or by personally visiting a police station.
The police shall carry out an investigation of the crime, where witnesses shall also be questioned. A report about the questioning shall be prepared, which the interrogated person confirms by signing it. If the crime is handled in a trial, the witness may also be summoned to court to tell about his/her observations.
Witnesses are usually summoned to court at the threat of a fine, because testifying is not voluntary. Being a witness could be a new and unique experience, which may cause anxiety, fear or lots of questions.
The most common questions are
- When is the trial?
- What happens at the trial?
- What should I know in advance?
- Is a witness entitled to compensation?
- Do I remember everything that happened?
- Is it safe to testify?
- Where can I get information?
All of RIKU’s services are also available to witnesses of criminal cases. You can discuss an upcoming trial, ask any questions you have in mind and in some cases, get a support person to come with you to court.
The support person does not provide legal advice, and he/she does not take a stand in terms of the content of your case. He/she will tell you about your rights and obligations. You can confidentially discuss the emotions the case has caused and you can obtain addtional clarity to matters. The support person service is free of charge.
You can ask for a support person from our nearest service point or leave a contact request , in which case we will contact you within 5 working days.