Put the needs of crime victims first, says Jack Straw

Today, Jack Straw, Secretary of State for Justice, addressed the Royal Society of Arts, speaking about punishment and reform in the criminal justice system. He asked prison reformers not to forget the victims of crime and to do more to help them. He also said that a lot is heard about the needs of offenders and not enough about victims.

He argued for a return to the "unfashionable" language of punishment and reform, and emphasised that the justice system is there to serve victims and the law-abiding majority first.