Victim Services Report Greater Victoria Police Victim Services is the formal name for the local victim

services branch. This is a non-profit organization that consists of volunteer workers helping victims of crime. The Victim Services of Victoria is also represented by one individual from each of the seven police agencies in the region. This particular organization has an interesting history. On October 24th, 1983 the Esquimalt Police Department started a victim services program run by community services section Constable Grant Smith of their community section. This program launch inspired Constable Doug Homes to organize a department for Victoria. The main objective for these departments was to make sure that victims of crime were not forgotten or mislead in the criminal justice system and that they were given the support they deserve. In 1984 , the first meeting of the Victoria victim services was held, followed by an announcement that they were registered as a non-profit organization with the province on December 7, 1984. In the year 1990, the Ministry of Public Safety and the Solicitor General gave the Greater Victoria Police Victim Services a contract that provided the with matching funds from the Capital Regional District. In 2001, the name of the organization was formally changed to Greater Victoria Police Victim Services. In 2004, the CBF Esquimalt military police joined the GVPVS Board of Directors, which consisted of seven community-at-large members and one representative from each of the seven police agencies in the region. The major goal of the Greater Victoria Police Victim Services is to make sure the victims achieve a state of well-being after being involved in a traumatic incident. They work with the police to help people impacted by crime and trauma. Some of the major services offered by the GVPVS include: grief counseling following sudden death, assistance and support to witnesses in providing effective evidence, support to witnesses in providing evidence, help with victim

impact statements, and help with the costs for the statement. Police will refer people to the GVPVS in cases of sudden death. They also provide help for victims of crime such as dealing with the aftermath of a serious crime and the rights you have as a victim. There are certain cases that are common to Victoria Victim Services. Ninety percent of cases are referrals from the police. The police then require peoples consent to release their information to the GVPVS. Crimes such as domestic violence, property crimes and regular assault are the most common crimes bought to the attention of this organization. Victims often feel like no one is helping them in certain situation; they can even feel like the Criminal Justice System is making a situation worse, resulting in revictimization. That is where the victim services come into play; to help in tough situations where people may not know who to turn to for assistance. Victim services also relates to other parts of the Justice System. They assist police by providing a service to help victims that have been traumatized by a crime. It gives police somewhere to send these people for help. They provide the victims and witnesses with information about the court system and the justice system in order to ensure they are not revictimized during the long, confusing process. Greater Victoria Police Victim Services is well-staffed with three full-time staff, four part-time staff and one part-time court support worker. There are no specific qualifications for workers or volunteers, but the volunteers do have to complete seventy hours of classroom training. After the training stage is complete the volunteers are paired with experienced volunteers for three months before being permitted to work independently. There is no opportunity for advancement in this organization but it is still a good stepping stone to gain other desired employment. Working with the victim services organization has its positives and negatives. One of the bright sports is that it allows front line experience with victims which can be a life changing experience for people. Also, it allos an opportunity for training and creates

community partnerships by linking people to programs. The challenges of working with this organization is that it creates the possibility of people suffering vicarious trauma from what they experience. Finding people appropriate and affordable help is not always possible. This creates letdowns in victims which is frustrating for both the victim and the worker. For 2012, the GVPVS has set out a strategic plan that will apply through to 2014. It will help with accountability and will make sure the organization is meeting realistic goals and objectives. The Board will annually review their progress to make sure that everything is being followed. It includes asking volunteers and stakeholders to scrutinize weaknesses and strengths and to pinpoint areas where modifications are needed. The GVPVS is an excellent program that helps to improve one aspect of the justice system which is viewed by some as being weak. With this program up and running effectively, the victims of Victoria and other regions can get the help and support they need to work through the traumatization of being a victim of crime. Involvement in crime from a victims perspective can permanently destroy an individuals life if support is not provided. Therefore, victim services programs can help take pressure from other parts of the justice system by providing help for victims who need it. Also, this could help enhance the view of the public towards the justice system because the aspect of helping victims and not just providing rights for the offender is being addressed. The GVPVS is an excellent program for people in the Victoria area, and a positive step would be to expand this concept to provide similar services for victims elsewhere.