Victim Impact Statements & Victim Services

• Victim Impact Statements (VIS) are written statements by the victim or, if deceased, by the victim's family.
• VIS are used for sentencing purposes and by correctional authorities.
• Providing a Victim Impact Statement is strictly voluntary.
• Victims will be contacted by a Victim Services Coordinator or Assistant regarding VIS.

Areas to Consider in VIS

• Psychological/Emotional impact

• Physical impact

• Financial impact

• Victim Services is a program offered through the Department of Justice for victims of all ages.

Victim Services Programs

• Adult Program: For victims of criminal offenses who are 16 and older, focusing on victims of violent crimes but available to victims of all offenses.
• Child Program: For victims and witnesses of criminal offenses who are under the age of 16.
• The Victim of Crime Services Act concerns services for victims of crime.
• Victim Services belongs to the Department of Justice and Public Services of NL.

Principles When Dealing with Victims

• Treat victims with courtesy, compassion, and respect for their dignity and privacy.

• Ensure victims suffer the minimum of necessary inconvenience from their involvement with the criminal justice system.

• Ensure victims receive prompt and fair redress for the harm they have suffered.

• Both victims and society share the hardships resulting from an offense.

• An offender disregards both society and the victim when breaking the law.

• The Victim of Crime Services Act protects victims and those associated with them from retaliation and intimidation through measures like no contact orders.

• Victims are provided with information about services, remedies, the nature, timing, and progress of the prosecution, release dates, and bail hearings.

Victim Impact Statement (VIS) Details

• VIS include physical, financial, emotional, and mental damages caused by the crime, referring only to offenses the offender is charged with.
• VIS should exclude sentence recommendations, facts of the case, and opinions on sentencing.
• VIS can be used in the sentencing decision-making process.
• Victims can talk to Victim Services Canada about their feelings when dealing with the problems caused by a crime.
• A victim's life may be impacted physically, mentally, and financially, potentially leading to physical impairment or injury.

Victim's Fine Surcharge

• 30% of the charge imposed, or $100 for summary offenses, is paid to the courts to fund victim services.
• Victim fine surcharges apply to the Victim of Crime Services Act.
• A person may be exempt from the surcharge if they cannot afford it without causing undue hardship to themselves or their dependents.
• Surcharges must be paid at the time the fine is imposed.
• The purpose of VIS is to allow the victim to show the court how the crime impacted them and to give them a feeling of having a say in the case.