Community Accountability Programs Information ... - Ministry of Justice

• If a young person is dealt with by an extrajudicial sanction, a policeofficer, the Attorney General, the provincial director, or anyorganization established by a province to provide assistance to victimsshall, on request, inform the victim of the identity of the young personand how the offence has been dealt with.Under the Criminal Code, victims of crime are entitled to submit victimimpact statements to the court during the sentencing phase. These impactstatements describe “the harm done to, or loss suffered by, the victimarising from the commission of the offence.” When determining theappropriate sentence for an offender, the court is required to consider thesestatements. The victim may also read this statement in court (uponrequest) or present it in any other manner the court considers appropriate.It is worth noting that under the Criminal Code, the term “victim” refers to“a person to whom harm was done or who suffered physical or emotionalloss as a result of the commission of the offence.” If that person is dead, ill,or otherwise incapable of making an impact statement, he or she may berepresented by a spouse or common-law partner, a relative, or anyone whohas custody of that person or is responsible for the care or support of thatperson or any dependant of that person.The Criminal Code recognizes the victim’s right to restitution as well as toan acknowledgment, by the offender, of the harm that he or she has causedthe victim. In fact, Section 718 of the Criminal Code states that theobjectives of sentencing include the following: “to provide reparations forharm done to victims or to the community” and “to promote a sense ofresponsibility in offenders, and acknowledgment of the harm done tovictims and to the community.”The Victims of Crime Act and documents listing references to victims in theYouth Criminal Justice Act and the Criminal Code are included inAppendices B, C, and D, respectively.Dynamics of victimizationCommunity Accountability Programs can help victims recover from theharm caused by crime. However, to work effectively with victims, programvolunteers must understand the impact of crime, the factors that affect theintensity and duration of that impact, and the needs that victimsexperience.Guidelines for Working with Victims and Offenders 19