An Overview of Victim Services Across Canada

Nova Scotia

Legislation

Nova Scotia's Victims' Rights and Services Act provided for the establishment of the Victims' Assistance Fund, which is supplemented by a 15% provincial surcharge on all fines, excluding the Young Persons Summary Proceedings Act and parking offences. This fund is not used for direct compensation to individual victims, but rather for services and research respecting victims of crime. The Fund is used to finance the Child Victim Witness Program, the Provincial Victims Services Program, as well as salaries for the Criminal Injuries Counselling Program.

Services

The Policing and Victim Services Division of the Department of Justice oversees Victim Services. Victim Services operates the Criminal Injuries Counselling Program, the Provincial Victims' Services Program, the Child Victim Witness Program and the Victim Impact Statement Program province-wide. Services are delivered through regional offices, and include: general and case specific information; case tracking and updates; court orientation; advocacy and liaison with Police, Prosecution Services, Courts and Corrections; and assistance with criminal injuries compensation and victim impact statements. While some services may require the victim to contact and file a report with the police, all are free of charge and available to all victims of crime in Nova Scotia. All offices have toll-free numbers.

Compensation

The Victims' Services Head Office, Policing and Victim Services Division, Department of Justice administers the program which offers compensation for counselling to mitigate trauma resulting from personal violence offence. Counselling is offered to either the injured individual or his/her family members.

• Victim Services: http://www.gov.ns.ca/just/victim_Services/programs.asp
• Criminal Injuries Compensation: http://www.gov.ns.ca/just/victim_Services/forms.asp