PLEA gratefully acknowledges our primary core funder the Law Foundation of Saskatchewan for their continuing and generous support of our organization.
The offender may be sentenced to custody. As a victim you may have continuing concerns and may want information about where the offender is and when they may be temporarily or permanently released.
An adult offender sentenced to less than two years will serve the sentence in a provincial jail. An adult offender who is sentenced to more than two years will serve the sentence in a federal prison. A youth who is sentenced to custody will generally serve the sentence in a youth facility.
An offender will sometimes be allowed in the community while serving a custody sentence, with or without supervision. As well, offenders will not generally spend their entire sentence in custody. Adult offenders in provincial jails or federal prisons and youth offenders will generally be released into the community, under supervision, after serving two-thirds of their sentence, if they have not already been released, for example on parole.
Policing and Corrections is responsible for all youth who are in custody in Saskatchewan, as well as adults who are serving a sentence of less than two years in Saskatchewan. For their purposes they define a victim as anyone who has...
Policing and Corrections considers victim safety and the victim's viewpoint in the ongoing management of an offender's sentence. Victims are informed and consulted when case management plans are developed for offenders. They are also consulted when Policing and Corrections is considering an authorized absence for an offender. In the case of adult offenders, victims will be notified if an authorized absence is granted and informed of the location, conditions and duration of the authorized absence.
Policing and Corrections will normally communicate directly with the victim unless the victim has requested that there not be any contact or requested that contact be made through a Victim Services agency. If the victim is under 18, contact is normally made with the parent or legal guardian of the victim.
Correctional Service Canada (CSC) supervises offenders in federal prisons and when they are released from a federal prison. CSC can provide victims with information about the offender. Victims can provide information to the CSC about the impact the crime has had and any safety concerns they may have.
CSC considers anyone who has suffered physical or emotional harm, property damage or economic loss as the result of a crime to be a victim. If a victim is deceased or cannot act for themselves, people close to the victim can act for the victim including...
Information will not automatically be provided to victims. Some victims do not want any further information about the offender. If you want to receive information you must fill out an application or register with the CSC through their Victims Portal. If you do not want to receive information directly you can give someone else written authorization to receive information on your behalf.
Victims and any member of the public can request certain basic information about offenders in custody. This includes information such as what the offender was convicted of, the length of the sentence, and when the offender is eligible for unescorted temporary absences, day parole and full parole.
If you meet the definition of victim you can request additional information not normally disclosed to the public. Additional information may be provided if the victim's interest in receiving the information outweighs the need to protect the offender's privacy. Additional information that may be disclosed includes things like...
As a victim you can also chose to provide information to the CSC. You can tell them about any safety concerns you have and how the crime has affected you or your family. You can also give the CSC information about the offender. If you filed a Victim Impact Statement when the offender was sentenced, Correctional Service Canada must obtain a copy. You do not need to repeat the information you put in your Victim Impact Statement.
You can provide information anonymously by calling 1-866-780-3784 any time of the day or night. You can also provide a written Victim Statement.
Correctional Service Canada will use your information when making decisions about the offender's correctional plan. They will also use your information when deciding about an offender's release into the community. If the information is used to make a decision about the offender, the information must be shared with the offender. However things like your contact information will not be shared.
The judge may order the offender not to contact you while the offender is in prison. If the judge has made a non-contact order and you are contacted by the offender, you should advise Correctional Service Canada. If the judge has not made a non-contact order, but you do not wish to be contacted by the offender, you can let Correctional Service Canada know and they will make every effort to stop the offender from contacting you by telephone or mail.
Restorative Opportunities is a Correctional Service Canada program. It provides interested victims of crime with an opportunity to communicate with an offender in a Federal Penitentiary in a safe, structured environment. Through this process victims may...
The program is flexible and voluntary. Victims do not have to take part. The program uses trained and experienced mediators. There are a number of ways victims can communicate with the offender, including by letter or video messages. Victims do not need to have face-to-face contact with the offender. Victims who wish to participate begin by contacting the Restorative Opportunities Coordinator by phone at 1-613-995-4445 or by E-mail at restorativejustice@csc-scc.gc.ca.
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