Victim Services at CSC
Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) implemented the National Victim Services Program (NVSP) in 2007. The program seeks to provide victims of federal offenders with timely information about the offender who harmed them.
The information that can be disclosed to victims is dictated in the Corrections and Conditional Release Act (CCRA). The CCRA is also based on the Canadian Statement of Basic Principles of Justice for Victims of Crime that is intended to guide governments in the development of legislation and policy.
Our dedicated Victim Services Officers are responsible for registering victims, providing victim notification, receiving victim statements, providing referrals and answering questions about CSC. If you are a victim of crime, we want to make sure that you are treated with fairness and respect.
What's New?
Safe Streets and Communities Act – Information for Victims of Crime
Formerly known as Bill C-10, the Safe Streets and Communities Act was passed in Parliament and received Royal Assent in March 2012. The section relating to the Corrections and Conditional Release Act (CCRA) came into force on June 13, 2012. This new legislation increases the accountability of federal offenders and promotes the interests and the role of victims in the correctional process. For more information on how this new legislation affects victims of crime, please see our FAQ on Bill C-10 page.
Legislation to repeal the “faint hope” clause – Information for victims of crime
Bill S-6, the Serious Time for the Most Serious Crime Act, came into force on December 2, 2011. This new legislation eliminates the faint-hope clause, ensuring that criminals who committed first-degree murder on or after December 2, 2011 are not eligible for parole until they serve the full 25 years of their sentence. Similarly, offenders serving life imprisonment for second-degree murder committed on or after December 2, 2011 are no longer eligible for parole until their parole ineligibility period is served, which could be up to 25 years. For more information on how this new legislation affects victims of crime, please see our FAQ on Bill S-6 page.
Serving Time: An Overview of Institutions and Communities Correctional Environments
The National Victim Services Program is proud to present Serving Time: An Overview of Institutions and Communities Correctional Environments.
Victims, members of the public and CSC's partners have told us that they want to know more about federal corrections. In response, we have created a document that provides facts about security measures in place at maximum-, medium-, and minimum-security institutions and community correctional facilities. Serving Time: An Overview of Institutions and Communities Correctional Environments also provides information about the offender intake assessment and placement process, case management practices, correctional programs, as well as the day to day routine of offenders. The document also covers mental health issues, escorted temporary absences, and other important facts that are of interest to victims of crime.
We at CSC Victim Service hope this document helps answer your questions about federal corrections. We encourage you to contact us if you would like further information about any of the topics covered in the document. We can be reached toll-free at 1-866-806-2275 or by email at victims-victimes@csc-scc.gc.ca.
You may also be interested in the National Victim Services Program (NVSP) evaluation report
