THE complicated criminal justice system is being opened up in an attempt to give the public better awareness of how it works.

Cleveland Criminal Justice Board (CCJB) has launched its Inside Justice Week with two guides designed to help victims and witnesses to crime.

The booklets have been created to ease the stress of people appearing in court to give evidence and offer support to victims of crime once a prosecution has been secured.

Chairman of the CCJB, Chief Constable Sean Price, said: "We must not forget the victims of crime. We are concentrating on how we support people who, sadly, become victim and witnesses to crime.

"If people are brave enough to come forward and give evidence, we will work together to make sure the experience is as easy as possible, stress free and swiftly carried out."

The Paths to Justice leaflet guides people through the different stages of criminal investigation and prosecution, including basic outlines of the layout inside court.

The booklet also contains information about Teesside Probation Service's victim liaison scheme, which works with victims and families after sentence.

It keeps families up to date with the whereabouts of the criminal after sentence and allows the victims to have an input into licence conditions.

It also allows them to tell the criminal justice system how the crime affected them.

Victim Support Teesside is involved in The Inside Justice Week, which runs from today to Saturday.