Fact sheet: Victim Services at CSC

The Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) is responsible for the custody and community supervision of offenders who are serving a sentence of two years or more.

If you are a victim of crime, we want to make sure that you are treated with fairness and respect. Dedicated Victim Services Officers (VSO) are available to provide you with information about CSC and the offender who harmed you.

A victim is any individual who has suffered physical or emotional harm, property damage, or economic loss as the result of the commission of an offence.

The following individuals may exercise a victim’s rights when a victim is deceased or incapable of acting on their behalf:

• The victim’s spouse or common-law partner;
• A relative or dependant of the victim; and
• Anyone who has custody of the victim, or is responsible for the care or support of the victim or the victim’s dependant.

If you have been victimized by an offender serving a sentence of two years or more, you must register with CSC to receive information or access services.

Please complete and sign an Request for Victim Registration and submit it to the nearest regional CSC or Parole Board of Canada (PBC) office. You may also call your regional CSC Victim Services office and speak directly with a VSO who can assist you with the registration process.

CSC encourages victims to provide information pertaining to their safety concerns and the impact of the offence on them, their family and/or community.

If you contact CSC Victim Services to receive information, the offender is not told. If you provide information that is used in a decision that affects an offender’s release from an institution, then CSC must share that information with the offender. However, your personal information, such as address and telephone number, will never be shared with, or be available to the offender, without your consent.

You can receive information about the offender who harmed you by contacting CSC or PBC to request it. This information can help you understand the corrections and conditional release process and it can contribute to your safety. You may also receive information for others or allow someone you trust to receive information for you.

The Canadian Victims Bill of Rights (CVBR) has broadened the services CSC provides to victims of federal crimes in Canada. If you are a victim of crime, you will now have the following statutory rights:

• Right to Information
• Right to Protection
• Right to Participation
• Right to Restitution

As a registered victim with CSC you will now have increased access to information about the person who harmed you, including:

• The offender’s release date, destination and conditions of release unless the disclosure would have a negative impact on public safety;
• Information about CSC’s victim-offender mediation services;
• Copies of PBC decisions, when requested;
• The date when an offender has been removed from Canada by the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA);
• Information about an offender’s progress in relation to his or her correctional plan; and
• A current photo of the offender prior to certain releases or the offender’s warrant expiry date.

If you believe that your rights as a victim have been infringed (violated) or denied, you have the right to make a formal complaint with CSC. CSC will review your complaint, make a recommendation to correct any infringement (violation) and notify you about the results of the review.

If you would like to make a complaint please contact CSC’s Victim Services Unit by phone at 1-866-806-2275 or by email at: victims-victimes@csc-scc.gc.ca.

You can contact CSC and learn more about Victim Services or request information.

• Toll-free: 1-866-806-2275
• E-mail: victims-victimes@csc-scc.gc.ca
• Web site: www.csc-scc.gc.ca/victims-victimes

Parole Board of Canada – Services for Victims

• Toll-free 1-866-789-4636
• www.canada.ca/en/parole-board

Department of Justice – Victims Fund (Financial assistance to attend Parole Board hearings)

• Toll-free: 1-866-544-1007
• www.justice.gc.ca

The Office of the Federal Ombudsman for Victims of Crime

• Toll-free: 1-866-481-8429
• www.victimsfirst.gc.ca