Significant reforms to the state’s victims registers passed the NSW parliament last night, ensuring victim-survivors of serious crimes receive a mandatory notification about their right to sign up as a registered victim, in order to receive critical information about an offender.
The three NSW victims registers include the Corrective Services NSW Victims Register, Youth Justice Victims Register, and Specialist Victims Register for victims of forensic patients.
Those who opt-in will receive timely, accurate and trauma-informed updates regarding the perpetrator’s progress through the custodial system. This may include details about the offender’s location, sentence, parole eligibility, and any changes that may affect the victim’s safety and well-being.
Registered victims also have the right to make a submission about an offender’s parole where relevant.
Consultation
Over several months, Corrective Services NSW has hosted consultation meetings with victim-survivors, victim advocates, and victim support services to ensure these changes reflect the views of the people the registers serve.
Eligible victims of serious offenders will receive a mandatory notification letting them know about the relevant register and their eligibility to opt-in.
If victim-survivors don’t want to make a decision at the time, they will have the option to be contacted at a later date to discuss the benefits of registration and decide whether they would like to be registered.
Generally, the serious offenders that will cause a mandatory notification about the Victims Register to be sent to a victim-survivor or family member will be:
- An offender who has committed murder.
- An offender who is serving a sentence of life imprisonment.
- An offender who is serving one or more sentences, totalling a minimum of 12 years in custody, for offences such as attempted murder, serious sexual assault, abduction, and aggravated robbery.
Balance
The government says that ensuring victim-survivors continue to have the choice to register strikes the appropriate balance between ensuring that victim-survivors are aware of their right to be on the register, while importantly maintaining victims’ choice and avoiding re-traumatisation.
Work will also be done to make the sign-up process simpler, with fewer technological or communication barriers for non-English speakers.
Minister for Corrections Anoulack Chanthivong said, ‘Community safety is the top priority of the Minns Labor government.
‘Now that these significant reforms have passed the NSW parliament, they will ensure victim-survivors of serious crimes know about the victims registers, and have a clear opportunity to sign up and benefit from being registered.
‘We have listened to the voices of victim-survivors, and we are responding to their call to improve the system, whilst balancing the critical need to avoid re-traumatising those victim-survivors who do not wish to be re-exposed to the heinous crimes of their offenders.
‘Signing up to the victims registers allows victim-survivors or their family members to receive vital information and a choice to engage in fundamental legal processes that will directly impact their lives – things like opposing the perpetrator’s parole and being informed if they are going to be released from prison.
‘No-one chooses to become the victim of a violent crime, and that is why the NSW government is doing everything within our power to support and empower victim-survivors.
‘Eligible victims of serious offenders deserve the choice to be on the victims registers and be given the knowledge and agency to engage with the justice system, ensuring no-one is left behind.’
Major step towards healing
Victims Advocate Howard Brown OAM said, ‘These reforms will ensure that victim-survivors of serious crimes have knowledge and information about the victims registers, and the opportunity to sign up to them if they choose to.
‘The victims registers provide the kind of timely, accurate and trauma-sensitive information that victim-survivors may feel that they need to be able to take back control of their lives and well-being, sometimes many years after a serious crime has been committed against them.
‘Maximising free and full access to such a vital resource like the victims registers is a major step toward healing for victim-survivors of violent crimes.’
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