Backgrounder
Victims Of Crime
Over the past several years, the Government of Canada has worked
to improve the experience of victims in the criminal justice system.
Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Canada, Correctional Service
of Canada (CSC), the National Parole Board (NPB), and the Department
of Justice Canada have worked together to implement measures in
order to better meet the needs of victims.
What is in place?
CSC and NPB have a number of services to assist victims of offenders
under federal responsibility. Both agencies provide information
to victims (e.g. offender’s name, length of sentence, release
dates), as stipulated in the Corrections and Conditional Release
Act (CCRA). Victims can attend NPB hearings as observers and
can access NPB decisions through a decision registry. Since July
2001, victims can present an impact statement at parole hearings
in person or by way of audio or videotape. CSC also offers victim-offender
mediation services and supports such restorative approaches, where
appropriate.
Multi-year data clearly show the extensive and growing involvement
of victims:
- The number of victims who registered for notification more
than tripled between 1995 and 2004 – up from 1,200 to 4,400.
- Over
the last five years, NPB has had 11,000 to 15,000 contacts
with victims, with more than 1,000 observers at parole hearings.
- NPB
receives over 1,100 new requests per year for access to its
decision registry. Once access is allowed, most requesters, particularly
victims, want to continue to receive NPB decisions in the case.
As a result, the Board provides 4,000 decisions annually.
- From
July 2001 to March 31, 2004, 518 victims indicated that they
intended to make a statement at NPB hearings and 382 actually
made a statement.
Victims of Crime Initiative
The Department of Justice’s Victims of Crime Initiative was
launched in April 2000 in response to the Standing Committee on
Justice and Human Rights Report Victims’ Rights – A
Voice Not a Veto. Administered by t he Policy Centre for Victim
Issues (PCVI), the overall goal of the Victims of Crime Initiative
has been to increase the confidence of victims of crime in the
criminal justice system through raising awareness among victims
of crime and their families about their role in the criminal justice
system and of services and assistance available to support them.
This is achieved through consultation, research, policy development,
legislative review and amendments, project funding and most importantly,
a close working relationship with provincial and territorial counterparts
who are tasked with the responsibility for victim services delivery.
In the first five years of its mandate, the Policy Centre for
Victim Issues has conducted a number of evaluations, surveys and
consultations with victims of crimes, victim advocates and service
providers on their experiences and on specific issues. Overall
results have indicated significant improvements in victim services,
awareness, education and training, particularly in smaller jurisdictions
and the North. These results have also enabled PCVI to advance
the federal strategy and raise the profile of victim issues.
The Victims of Crime Initiative also established the Victim Fund,
which provides grants and contributions to provincial and territorial
governments and non-governmental organizations to develop, promote
and enhance services and assistance for victims. Budget 2005 renewed
the Initiative on an ongoing basis and provided funding to the
Department of Justice of $25 million for the next five years.
The PCVIis mandated to work toward improving
the experience of the victims of crime in the criminal justice
system by pursuing a range of activities and initiatives to:
- Make victims more aware of their role in the criminal justice
system and the laws, services and assistance applicable to them;
- Increase overall awareness about the needs of victims of crime
and effective approaches in Canada and internationally; and
- Improve
the ability of the Department of Justice to develop laws and
policy that take into consideration the perspectives of victims.
What is new?
On April 20, 2005, Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Canada
tabled legislative amendments to the CCRA and announced a number
of new program measures that will greatly benefit victims.
Revision to the definition of victims of offenders under
federal responsibility
A revision to the definition of victim in the CCRA will be made
so that guardians or caregivers of dependents of victims who are
deceased, ill or otherwise incapacitated can get the information
that victims are permitted under the current law.
Financial assistance to attend parole hearings
As of fall 2005, financial assistance will be provided to registered
victims of crime who wish to attend National Parole Board (NPB)
hearings of the offender who harmed them. The Department of Justice
Policy Centre for Victim Issues will administer this financial
assistance.
Presentation of Victim Impact Statements
The right of victims to present an impact statement at NPB hearings
will be enshrined in law. Although this has been a policy of NPB
since July 2001, it will now be included in the CCRA.
Expanded information to victims
The legislative amendments will also allow victims to have access
to a recording of the most recent NPB hearing regarding the offender
who harmed them. In addition, CSC and NPB will be authorized to
disclose to victims information about an offender’s program
participation, as well as information about the transfer of an
offender to another institution, including the reason(s) for the
transfer, with advance notice of transfers to minimum security
institutions given to victims whenever possible.
National Office for Victims of offenders under federal responsibility
The Department of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Canada
will establish a National Office for Victims in fall 2005. The
office will augment existing information services provided directly
by CSC and NPB and will be co-located with the Policy Centre for
Victim Issues at the Department of Justice. The office will:
- Establish a national toll-free telephone line that will
provide general information to victims;
- The office will
augment existing information services provided directly by the
CSC and the NPB by providing a centralized source of information
about victims’ entitlements under
the CCRA and by providing an avenue for complaints about federal
corrections and conditional release. Provide a victims perspective
to PSEPC, CSC and NPB;
- Develop information products for dissemination
to victims and the general public.
- Collaborate with the Department
of Justice’s Policy Centre
for Victim Issues; and
- Provide input into the development of
communication and training material by PSEPC, CSC and NPB.
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