As the coordinator of the Jasper Victim Services Unit, Paul Schmidt is on call at all hours of the day,聽 ensuring that someone is always available to console and assist victims of tragic accidents and crimes in Jasper National Park. In some cases that's a family member of someone who's been injured or killed. In other cases it's the victim of a crime or the witness of a crime.
In this monthly column, Schmidt will talk about some of the issues he sees. He won't speak for victims or any of the other agencies that work with them, but will address the issues from a victim services perspective, drawing on his years of experience out in the field.
In the last instalment of the Jasper Victim Services Perspective I wrote about domestic assault鈥攁n assault that happens within the family dynamic.
However, there are other types of assault as well, and these have different circumstances and different consequences under the law. Many of these assaults are under the Schedule of Serious and Violent Criminal Code Offences, and are crimes against a person that results in death; causes serious physical or emotional injury; includes violence, intimidation or criminal harassment/stalking; and/or causes harm to a child or a vulnerable adult.
One of our Crown Prosecutors has said 鈥渁 murder is an assault that ended in death鈥�, and for that reason, any of these assaults that I am referring to should be viewed as serious offences.
When a person is charged with assault, it may be assault causing bodily harm with intent, assault with a weapon, aggravated assault, assaulting a police officer, or common assault. Many times charges such as uttering threats may also be laid against an accused with one or a combination of the charges that are listed above.
Very often the charge that is laid may be lowered if a deal is made and an accused pleads guilty to a less serious offence. This can be disappointing for a victim, but it does have an upside as a guilty plea means that the process will happen much quicker, and that the victim will not have to testify.
I often let victims know that the court system is much better for paperwork than it is for people. When assault causing bodily harm is reduced to a common assault, it is sometimes difficult for a victim to understand, but in the court system this expedites the process, whereas a trial may have taken a year or more.
One of victim services鈥� mandates is to make victims aware of the financial benefits program. This is a program that a victim can apply to, whether or not there鈥檚 a guilty verdict, if they have been physically or emotionally injured by an assault.
This is not compensation to suggest a victim can be reimbursed with money for what has happened to them. In most cases I refer to the financial benefits program as providing an 鈥渁llotment鈥濃�攖his allotment of funds may be used in whatever way the victim sees fit. I think that it is important that those who apply know that this is not a government handout, and in fact it is only those who have broken the law (such as speeding) that pay into the Victims of Crime Fund through a victim surcharge.
The process takes some time to ensure the victim has cooperated with the investigation and has consulted with a doctor or mental health therapist about the details of their claim. But, when an amount is given, it is without strings attached; if it is used for counselling, to travel to be closer to family, or to just get some time away, that is completely at the individual鈥檚 discretion.
For more information, please contact Jasper Victim Services at 780-852-2275 or [email protected].
In next month鈥檚 edition of Jasper Victim Services Perspective, Schmidt will address cybercrime.
Paul Schmidt
Special to the 51暗网
