Community Accountability Programs Information ... - Ministry of Justice
Community Accountability Programs Information ... - Ministry of Justice 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
Crime impacts victims in four ways:• Physical: Victims may experience physical injury as a result of the crimeor physiological reactions to the related stress.• Financial: Victims may experience the financial impact either as a directresult of the crime or as a result of not being able to work or havingincreased expenses (medical, child care, and other costs).• Emotional/psychological: Whether the crime is property-related orinvolves personal injury, victims experience varying degrees of impact,such as feeling violated, vulnerable, fearful, or disillusioned.• Secondary: The secondary impact of crime may involve a lack of supportservices, an inappropriate intervention following the crime, theintrusive elements of the investigation, or feelings of isolation,exclusion, or being judged by others.The impact of crime is affected by various factors, including:• Degree, severity, or duration of the crime• Victim’s relationship to the offender• Victim’s current life circumstances• Victim’s past experiences• Victim’s coping mechanisms• Service and support received from the immediate responder and others• Outcome of the justice processVictims of crime often share certain needs:• Safety: To have their sense of security restored• Information: To be kept informed and to receive accurate andcomprehensive information• Support: To be heard and supported as they move through the justiceprocess• Referrals: To be referred to victim services or other appropriate agencies• Choice: To be included in the decision-making process• Closure: To be informed of the final outcome of the caseGuidelines for Working with Victims and Offenders 20
- Page 12 and 13: clarify the offender’s version of
- Page 14 and 15: • Who has a stake in this situati
- Page 16 and 17: Is the future addressed?• Is ther
- Page 18 and 19: Administering the program• Ensure
- Page 22 and 23: Guidelines for working with victims
- Page 24 and 25: • Information on the justice syst
- Page 26 and 27: committed, they then decide how to
- Page 28 and 29: • The offender must accept respon
- Page 30 and 31: Diversion strategies and measures b
- Page 32 and 33: and how offences are affecting your
- Page 34 and 35: • Victim services and other justi
- Page 36 and 37: undertake each action, and set real
- Page 38 and 39: • Effects of victimization• Wor
- Page 40 and 41: • Volunteers and any other person
- Page 42 and 43: RECORDS MANAGEMENTThe goal of a rec
- Page 44 and 45: of the provincial government. The p
- Page 46 and 47: • Facilitate restorative justice
- Page 48: Before a conferenceis convened(cont
- Page 51 and 52: General criteriaCommunity Accountab
- Page 53 and 54: • Whether and how it has changed
- Page 55 and 56: AppendicesAppendix A - Categories o
- Page 57 and 58: CATEGORIES OF OFFENCES* Please note
- Page 59 and 60: VICTIMS OF CRIME ACT[RSBC 1996] CHA
- Page 61 and 62: "victim service" means a service th
- Page 63 and 64: Goals(d) if the offender is or will
- Page 65 and 66: Validity of proceeding, etc.11 (1)
- Page 67 and 68: Appendix C - References to Victims
- Page 69 and 70: • The harm done to victims and wh
Crime impacts victims in four ways:• Physical: Victims may experience physical injury as a result <strong>of</strong> the crimeor physiological reactions to the related stress.• Financial: Victims may experience the financial impact either as a directresult <strong>of</strong> the crime or as a result <strong>of</strong> not being able to work or havingincreased expenses (medical, child care, and other costs).• Emotional/psychological: Whether the crime is property-related orinvolves personal injury, victims experience varying degrees <strong>of</strong> impact,such as feeling violated, vulnerable, fearful, or disillusioned.• Secondary: The secondary impact <strong>of</strong> crime may involve a lack <strong>of</strong> supportservices, an inappropriate intervention following the crime, theintrusive elements <strong>of</strong> the investigation, or feelings <strong>of</strong> isolation,exclusion, or being judged by others.The impact <strong>of</strong> crime is affected by various factors, including:• Degree, severity, or duration <strong>of</strong> the crime• Victim’s relationship to the <strong>of</strong>fender• Victim’s current life circumstances• Victim’s past experiences• Victim’s coping mechanisms• Service and support received from the immediate responder and others• Outcome <strong>of</strong> the justice processVictims <strong>of</strong> crime <strong>of</strong>ten share certain needs:• Safety: To have their sense <strong>of</strong> security restored• <strong>Information</strong>: To be kept informed and to receive accurate andcomprehensive information• Support: To be heard and supported as they move through the justiceprocess• Referrals: To be referred to victim services or other appropriate agencies• Choice: To be included in the decision-making process• Closure: To be informed <strong>of</strong> the final outcome <strong>of</strong> the caseGuidelines for Working with Victims and Offenders 20
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