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In many cases, youth crime takes an emotional toll on victims, witnesses, friends and communities. Victims of crimes against the person or property crimes may experience a wide range of reactions from anger and bitterness to fear and helplessness. The Youth Justice Renewal Strategy while holding young people accountable for their actions, is also concerned with addressing the issues and concerns of victims in relation to public safety. 

What is a Victim of Crime?

A victim of crime is someone against whom or against whose property a crime has been committed. Young people are often the victims of crime. 

In 1997, more than half (56%) of all victims of youth violence were other youths. Twelve to seventeen year olds were identified as victims in common assault cases involving young accused as often as adults (55% in both cases). Children under the age of twelve were more likely the victims of youths in common assault (43%) or sexual assault (34%). 

The most likely victims of youth violence are other youths and male youths in particular. Youths aged 12 to under 18 years were more often the victims of robbery. Six in ten victims of youth violence were male. 

Victim Services:

The victim services program is a provincial program set up to help victims of crime as they go through the criminal justice
process. The program offers information, support and assistance: 

* Information on the progress of the police investigation 

* Assistance in developing a "safety" plan ongoing referral for
  other types of assistance 

* Preparation if the victim has to go to court 

* Assistance in preparing a Victim Impact Statement 
  (a written or oral statement for the courts to be used at the
   time of sentencing) 

* An explanation of the outcome of court 
 

Principles Which Guide Victim Services:

* Victims play an important role in all criminal justice
   proceedings and their concerns and wishes must be
   respected and, whenever possible acted upon; 

* Every victim's experiences are unique and should not be
   minimized or normalized 

* Victims have a right to voice their concerns and have their
   emotions and experiences validated 

* Every effort must be made to ensure victims are not further
   harmed by their involvement in any justice process 

* Offenders need to be held accountable for their actions and
   appropriate support services should be provided to 
   offenders 

Central to all of these principles is the recognition that healing is an individual, and for some, a very private process. 
 

Restorative Justice

Restorative justice holds victim concerns as equally important to the process of administering justice and it allows victims a stronger voice and role in that process. From a restorative justice perspective, the most significant aspects of crime is that it victimizes citizens and communities. The juvenile justice system should focus on repairing this harm by ensuring that offenders are held accountable for making amends for the damage and suffering they have caused. 

The most important questions for restorative justice do not focus on whether to punish or treat offenders. Rather, the primary questions to be answered are:

* What is the harm? 

* What needs to be done to make it right? 

* Who is responsible? 

Balanced and restorative juvenile justice cannot be achieved by mandates or legislation alone. 
 

Participation by Crime Victims in a Restorative Justice Approach: 

* Receive support, assistance, information and services 

* Receive restitution or other reparation from the young
   offender 

* Are involved and are encouraged to give input at all points in
   the system as to how the offender will repair the harm
   done 

* Have the opportunity to face the offenders and tell their 
   story 

* Feel satisfied with the justice process 

* Provide guidance and consultation to juvenile justice
   professionals on planning and advisory groups 
 

Participation by Young Offenders in a Balanced and Restorative Justice Approach:

* Complete restitution to their victims 

* Provide meaningful service to repay the debt to their
   communities 

* Face the personal harm caused by their crimes by
   participating in victim offender mediation or other victim
   awareness programs 

* Complete experiences that increase skills and improve the
   community 

* Are monitored by community adults and juvenile justice
   providers and supervised to the greatest extent possible in
   the community 

* Improve decision making skills and have opportunities to
   help others 

* Participation in Restorative Justice by Citizens, Families
   and Community Groups 

* Are involved to the greatest extent possible in rehabilitation,
  community safety initiatives, and holding offenders
  accountable 

* Work with young offenders on local community projects 

* Provide support to victims 

* Provide support to offenders as mentors, employers, and
   advocates 

* Provide work for offenders to pay restitution to victims and
   service opportunities that allow offenders to make
   meaningful contributions to the quality of community life 

* Assist families to support the young offender's obligation to
   repair the harm and increase competencies 

* Advise courts and corrections and play an active role in the
   young offender's disposition. 

* Project made possible through a grant by Department of 
  Justice Canada and Public Legal Education Information
  Service New Brunswick - Youth Justice Renewal Tool Kit.