Community Accountability Programs Information ... - Ministry of Justice

included in this guide. If you have concerns about the suitability of areferral you receive from police or Crown counsel, consult Crown.Responding to client needs• Let victims know that they may choose not to participate in theprogram. Regardless of their choice, inform them of communityresources and services available to them.• Inform offenders that they have the right to have counsel presentthroughout the process.• Be aware of the issues and barriers that people from diverse culturesand communities face. Strive to respond to their needs in a culturallycompetent and inclusive manner. For information on culturalcompetence resources, contact the Aboriginal, Multiculturalism andImmigration Programs Department of the Ministry of Community,Aboriginal and Women’s Services at http://www.mcaws.gov.bc.ca/amip.• Respond appropriately to clients with special needs, such as FetalAlcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD), Attention Deficit HyperactivityDisorder (ADHD), or other mental, physical, or emotional conditions.• When convening a non-judicial conference to discuss the circumstancesof an offence, be prepared to deal with underlying issues that maysurface. For example, you may learn that the victim of the offence or theoffender has a history of abuse. Ensure that your program is able toaccess the appropriate community resources to assist with issues thatmay arise.Figure 2: Underlying IssuesAt non-judicial conferences, victims or offendersmay disclose underlying issues. In many cases, thecrime for which the conference was convened is anindicator of other problems that the offender isdealing with, such as drug abuse, violence in thehome, problems with peers, relationship violence,etc. Victims may also disclose issues of their own.Make sure that your program develops protocols fordealing with such disclosures. Your program shouldalso establish links with community agencies thatcan provide the appropriate support in the event ofa disclosure.Restorative Justice: Promoting Community-Based Responses to Crime 16