Community Accountability Programs Information ... - Ministry of Justice

• Facilitate restorative justice conferences.• Provide follow-up service to the victim and offender, including themonitoring of the agreement.• Ensure that the agreement reached does not impose an outcome that ismore onerous than what the young person would reasonably expectthrough the traditional criminal justice system process, and that theoutcome is fair and proportionate to the crime.• Ensure that opportunities exist in the community for the young personto make amends.• Recognize that all discussions, notes, recordings, documentation, orwritten reports associated with the process are deemed to beconfidential and are subject to all of the provisions related toconfidentiality and youth records set out in the YCJA.• Ensure that a sufficient training plan is in place which incorporates theparticulars associated with the conferencing process.ELIGIBILITY CRITERIABefore a youth is accepted by a Community Accountability Program, theprogram representative(s) should confirm with the police that the followingminimum requirements have been met or are understood:• The referral is considered appropriate with regard to the interests of thevictim, the young person, and the community.• Referrals are made by the police for Category 3 and 4 offences only.(See Appendix A.)• Situations involving sexual offences, relationship violence/abuse, childabuse, and hate-motivated crimes are not referred.• Prosecution of the offence is not barred by law.• There must be demonstrated community and criminal justice systemsupport, including the support of victim services organizations.• If a community-based conferencing process occurs, the young personmust attend.• Every effort should be made to ensure that the young person isaccompanied by a parent or other supportive person.• For pre-charge police-based referrals to Community AccountabilityPrograms, there is no legal recourse for non-compliance.Getting Started 45