Victim-Offender Mediation

August 08, 2007

MEMORANDUM

Interim Direction Regarding Victim Offender Mediation Services Provided by the Restorative Opportunities Program

The following guidelines have been developed to ensure that victim offender mediation processes are offered in a manner consistent with other related policy (Commissioner's Directives 784, 095, and 782). These guidelines are effective immediately and have been developed as interim process as the Service reviews and considers its strategic options with respect to these restorative opportunities for victims and offenders.

These protocols are intended to support local staff by clarifying their responsibilities when receiving a request for any form of contact between victims and offenders. This includes but is not limited to correspondence, visitation, and face-to-face meetings.

As such, all requests (from a victim, an offender, their families or agents) for mediation or other forms of victim/offender contact should be brought immediately to the attention of the designated referral agent. This person will refer the case to the Restorative Opportunities (RO) Program Coordinator, Restorative Justice (RJ) Division at National Headquarters (NHQ). Any safety concerns identified by CSC staff that might preclude participation in such a process should be forwarded to the RO Program Coordinator along with the referral.

The following referral process guidelines specify the protocols to be followed by referral agents in consideration of institutional, community, and victim initiated requests for mediation services through the RO program.

1. All referrals initiated at the institutional level by CSC staff or through a victim contact are to be directed to the designated Manager, Assessment and Intervention (MAI), or designated back-up, of the institution from which the referral originates. The MAI will refer all institutional and victim initiated referrals by e-mail to the RO Program, RJ Division, NHQ (cc. the Regional Victim Services Manager (RVSM)).

2. All referrals initiated at the community level through the Parole Offices are to be directed to the Section Supervisor or equivalent WP-5 (i.e. Senior Parole Officer or Parole Supervisor) of the Parole Office from which the referral originates. The Section Supervisor will refer all community initiated referrals by e-mail to the RO Program, RJ Division, NHQ (cc. RVSM). However, if a victim makes direct contact with a Parole Office requesting contact with an offender, CSC staff will refer the request to the RVSM.

3. All victim initiated referrals made directly to Victim Service Officers (VSO) are to be referred by e-mail to the RO Program, RJ Division, NHQ (cc. RVSM and designated MAI specific to the institution where the offender is incarcerated).

In order to protect privacy and ensure that there is no unwanted communication, staff members and volunteers should not communicate information about a mediation request directly or indirectly to either a victim or offender unless otherwise directed by the staff of the RJ Division.

If the case is referred to a community-based RO mediator, the RO Program Coordinator or the RO mediator will make arrangements with appropriate local staff to ensure that the mediator can conduct a thorough assessment of the offender file, prepare the parties, and facilitate interaction and follow-up accordingly.

For staff in the Pacific Region, the process is somewhat different due to the well-established relationship with the long-standing service provider in that area. In this situation all referrals may continue to be made directly to the Victim Offender Mediation Program operated by the Community Justice Initiatives Association of the Fraser Region (CJI). Consents for disclosure of personal information from the victim or from the offender should be provided directly to the Community Justice Initiatives Association of the Fraser Region (CJI). Designated MAI's, Section Supervisors or equivalent positions, RVSM's, VSO's, and relevant CSC staff including parole officers will be contacted regarding the next steps by that agency.

For further background information, please find attached the Restorative Opportunities (RO) Fact Sheet for Offenders, the RO Fact Sheet for Victims, and the RO Case Referral Protocol Document that provides CSC staff with additional information about these services.

Should you have any questions or concerns, or to direct a referral to the Restorative Justice Division, please contact Tania Petrellis, RO Program Coordinator at (613)947-6434 or Scott Harris, Director, RJ Division at (613) 947-4980.

Please distribute this direction to all affected staff.

Original signed by

Ross Toller

 

c.c: ADCs, Regional Administrators, Wardens, District Directors, and

Terry Richardson, DG Chaplaincy/RJ/VS