Released on November 28, 1997
Justice Minister John Nilson today announced that people who breaklaws will now pay more in surcharges. The money raised by surcharges
is used to fund the Victim Services Program in Saskatchewan.
Effective December 1, the provincial victims fine surcharge will go
up, on average, by five dollars.
"Offenders should have the responsibility for contributing to programs
for victims of crime," Nilson said. "It is important that they have
the support and information needed to deal with the effects of being
harmed by crime and to receive assistance through the court process."
This is the first increase since the Victims Fund was established in
1989. With no funding increases for existing programs for the past
two years and no new funding available, the accumulated reserve in the
Fund is in jeopardy of being depleted within three years. The
increase in surcharges will enable the Victims Services Program to
maintain its funding.
The Victims Services Program, funded by the Victims Fund, was created
in 1992. Services have been expanding since then, and include:
thirteen police-affiliated programs which serve 250 Saskatchewan
communities, providing timely information, support and referral
for victims of crime, helping approximately 20,000 people this
year;
a court-based victim/witness support program to orient and
support victims and witnesses during their involvement with
the criminal justice system;
compensation for victims which provides payment for
reasonable expenses incurred from an offender's criminal act
of violence;
research and evaluation to determine the needs of victims of
crime and effective responses; and
education and training to provide information to the public
and professionals who provide services to those harmed by
crime, about how to respond in helpful and compassionate
ways, as well as information about preventing victimization
by educating and assisting those at risk.
The surcharge increases by $5 per level on fines up to and
including $500. Surcharges on fines over $500 increase from 10
to 15 per cent. If a person is convicted and no fine is imposed
there is also a five-dollar surcharge increase. The new fee
schedule is as follows:
Current New
Fine Category Surcharge Surcharge
Fine < or="$100" $="" 10="" $="">
Fine > $100 but < or="$200" $="" 20="" $="">
Fine > $200 but < or="$500" $="" 30="" $="">
Fine > $500 10% 15%
No fine imposed $ 20 $ 25
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For more information, contact:
Katrine McKenzie, Director
Victims Services Program
Justice
Regina
Phone: (306) 787-0418
(306) 536-3916, cell