Justice Federal Victims Strategy Evaluation

Appendix E: Victims Fund Surveys

Victims Fund - Financial Assistance for Victims to Attend Parole Board of Canada Hearings

Introduction

Justice Canada is continually monitoring its programs, including the Financial Assistance Fund for Victims of Crime. As a recipient of this funding, we are inviting you to help us understand how useful it is, how well it works, and how it might be improved. Below, you will find a brief survey for you to complete.

Your participation in this survey is completely voluntary. You do not have to answer any question you would prefer to omit. Your responses will be kept confidential and anonymous.

If you have any questions about the survey, please contact Justice Canada at 1-613-941-4071.

Please return the survey in the stamped envelope provided.

Thank you in advance for taking the time to complete the survey.

Instructions: Please read each question carefully and check your response in the box (✓) and write in the space provided.

1. How were you made aware of the financial assistance available for victims to attend Parole Board of Canada Hearings?

2. Were you provided with enough notification of the date of the Parole Board of Canada Hearing to apply for funding in advance of the hearing date?

3. Using a scale of one to five, where 1 is ‘very satisfied’ and 5 is ‘very dissatisfied’, please rate the following based on your experience with the Victims Fund.

Note: dk – don’t know); (na – not applicable)

(a) Ease of finding out about the Victims Fund

(b) Ease of completing the application for financial assistance

(c) Communication with the Victims Fund manager/staff

(d) Provided with information to complete the application

(e) Treated with courtesy and respect

(f) Time it took to receive the financial assistance

4. How useful was the funding received in reducing any financial hardship to you.

5. Would you have attended the Parole Board of Canada Hearing if financial assistance was not available?

Please explain.

6. How did your attendance at the Parole Board of Canada hearing affect your experience with the justice system?

7. Did you find the supporting documents (i.e. Fact Sheet, Questions & Answers) very easy, easy, somewhat difficult, or very difficult to understand?

8. Did the information provided in the supporting documents (i.e. Fact Sheet, Questions & Answers) help you complete your application and understand the approval process?

9. What did you find most helpful during the application process?

10. What additional information or support do you feel would have helped you through the application process?

11. Overall, how satisfied were you with the funding for victims to attend Parole Board of Canada hearings?

Financial Assistance for a Support Person/Assistance for Victims Attending Parole Board of Canada Hearings

12. Did you receive financial assistance for a support person to accompany you to the hearing or to assist at home while you attended the hearing?

If no or don’t know, please skip to question 14.

13. If yes, what was the funding used for? (Please check all that apply).

14. How important was the financial assistance for a support person/assistance for victims attending Parole Board of Canada hearings in helping you attend the Parole Board of Canada hearing?

Additional Comments:

Background

The following questions will be used for statistical purposes only. Please note that the survey results will be aggregated so that neither individual respondents nor their responses can be identified. Respondents will remain anonymous.

15. What is the victim’s age group?

16. What is your gender?

17. What province/territory do you live in?

18. In what province/territory was the sentencing hearing held?

Thank you for your participation in this survey.

Victims Fund - Financial Assistance for Support Person/Assistance for Victims Attending National Parole Board Hearings

Introduction

The Department of Justice Canada is continually monitoring its programs, including the Financial Assistance Fund for Victims of Crime. As a recipient of this funding, we are inviting you to help us understand how useful it is, how well it works, and how it might be improved. Below, you will find a brief survey for you to complete.

Your participation in this survey is completely voluntary. You do not have to answer any question you would prefer to omit. Your responses will be kept confidential and anonymous.

If you have any questions about the survey, please contact at the Department of Justice at 1-613-941-4147. Please return the survey in the envelope provided.

Thank you in advance for taking the time to complete the survey.

Instructions: Please read each question carefully and check your response in the box (✓) and write in the space provided.

1. How were you made aware of the financial assistance available for a support person/ assistance for victims to attend a National Parole Board Hearing?

2. Was the funding you received used to pay the costs of a support person to accompany a victim to the National Parole Board Hearing?

If you answered ‘Yes’ please answer questions #3 and #4.

If you answered ‘No’ please skip to question #5.

3. What is your relationship with the victim?

4. What was the most important cost the funds covered for you? (Please check one box below)

5. What other costs did you use the funding for?

6. How important was the financial assistance in helping you to attend the National Parole Board hearing?

7. If no funding was available for the support person/assistance would you have attended the National Parole Board Hearing?

8. Why? (Please explain your answer to question #7)

9. Overall, how satisfied were you with your experience with funding specifically for support person/assistance for victims attending National Parole Board hearings?

Background

The following questions will be used for statistical purposes only. Please note that the survey results will be aggregated so that neither individual respondents nor their responses can be identified. Respondents will remain anonymous.

10. What is your age group?

11. What is your gender?

12. What is your total household income, including all earners in your household?

13. Where do you live?

14. Are you an Aboriginal Person?

(An Aboriginal person is a North American Indian or a member of a First Nation, a Métis or an Inuk. North American Indians or members of a First Nation include status, treaty or registered Indians, as well as non-status and non-registered Indians.)

In future, as the Department of Justice Canada continues to assess the effectiveness of their programs, your feedback would be extremely useful. If you would be willing to participate in further surveys related to this Fund or related to Victims of Crime Initiatives, please provide us with your contact information:

Yes, I would be willing to participate in future evaluations

Name:

Address:

City

Province

Postal Code

Telephone:

Email:

Victims Fund – Financial Assistance for Canadians Victimized Abroad

Introduction

Justice Canada is continually monitoring its programs, including the Financial Assistance Fund for Victims of Crime. As a recipient of this funding, we are inviting you to help us understand how useful it is, how well it works, and how it might be improved. Below, you will find a brief survey for you to complete.

Your participation in this survey is completely voluntary. You do not have to answer any question you would prefer to omit. Your responses will be kept confidential and anonymous.

If you have any questions about the survey, please contact Justice Canada at 1-613-941-4071. Please return the survey in the stamped envelope provided.

Thank you in advance for taking the time to complete the survey.

Instructions: Please read each question carefully and check your response in the box (✓) and write in the space provided.

1. How were you made aware that financial assistance was available?

2. For the funding you received, who was your primary government contact?

3. Using a scale of one to five, where 1 is ‘very satisfied’ and 5 is ‘very dissatisfied’, please rate the following based on your experience with the Victims Fund.

Note: dk – don’t know); (na – not applicable)

(a) Ease of finding out about the Victims Fund

(b) Ease of completing the application for financial assistance (c) Communication with the Victims Fund manager (d) Provided with information to complete the application (e) Treated with courtesy and respect (f) Time it took to receive the financial assistance

4. How easy did you find the supporting documents (i.e. Fact Sheet, Questions & Answers) to understand?

5. Did the information provided in the supporting documents (i.e. Fact Sheet, Questions & Answers) help you complete your application and understand the approval process?

6. What additional information or support do you feel would have helped you through the application process, if any?

7. What did you use the funding for? (Please check one or more boxes below)

8. How useful was the funding received in reducing any financial hardship to you.

9. If no funding was available would you have been able to cover the costs/expenses indicated in question #7?

10. Generally, how important was the financial assistance in encouraging you to participate in the criminal proceedings abroad (if applicable)?

11. Overall, how satisfied were you with your experience with funding for Canadians victimized abroad?

Background

The following questions will be used for statistical purposes only. Please note that the survey results will be aggregated so that neither individual respondents nor their responses can be identified. Respondents will remain anonymous.

12. What is the victim’s age group?

13. What is your gender?

14. In which geographic region did the crime occur?

15. Where do you live?

Thank you for your participation in this survey.