The Department of Probation and Community Justice is instrumental in ensuring that the victim’s voice is heard by the judicial system and that every effort is made to make the victim whole from the loss they endured as a result of an offender’s criminal behavior. This department firmly believes that offender accountability to crime victims is paramount as it is through accountability that offenders are able to examine the impact of their behavior on the victim and the community at large.
This department supports crime victims in a variety of ways. We are responsible for contacting victims to determine the issue of restitution. We do this by providing Victim Impact Statements which give the victim an opportunity for their voice to be heard by the justice system. We make recommendations to the court regarding an offender’s financial responsibility to the victim and then work with the offender to ensure that court ordered restitution is paid. Finally, we distribute restitution to the victim. Probation Officers also explain how the services of the Crime Victims Board can assist the victim in gaining financial remuneration for the crime that was perpetrated against them.
Probation Officers also work closely with victims of domestic violence by offering emotional support, by outlining options and by making referrals to services in the community that can assist them in being safe from the offender.
Finally, Probation Officers can refer the offender to participate in Victim Offender Conferencing (VOC), if deemed appropriate. VOC involves the offender meeting the victim in a safe environment in the presence of a mediator to hear first hand from the victim how their offending behavior has caused harm. VOC also gives the offender the opportunity to make amends to the victim.
Victim Resource Links