CORNER BROOK, N.L. — The provincial court in Corner Brook has directed its first case to a new program offering alternative measures to the usual court process.
The new program was announced Monday by Justice and Public Safety Minister Andrew Parsons.
Using the principles of restorative justice, the goal of the adult diversion program is to provide an effective and timely response to the offender’s behaviour, encourage offenders to acknowledge and repair harm caused to the victim and provide an opportunity for the victim to participate in the process.
The program is a pilot project at the provincial courts in Corner Brook and Stephenville.
The Corner Brook court’s first opportunity to use the program came about Tuesday morning during the plea court session, an early stage of proceedings at which people charged with offences attend until further steps are determined to resolve their matters.
The first case in Newfoundland and Labrador to get referred to the adult diversion program was a woman charged with two counts of theft and one charge of mischief.
Three others were later referred to the program, including a man charged with theft; another man charged with two counts of theft, one of mischief and numerous court order breaches; and a woman accused of mischief, fraud, forgery, possessing property obtained by crime and failing to appear in court.
The first opportunity for accused persons to be referred to the new program at provincial court in Stephenville will be Monday during that court’s plea day.
About the adult diversion program:
- Alternative measures could include counselling, a letter of apology, community service or even a charitable donation.
- To qualify, offenders must accept responsibility for the act in which they are charged and their offence must not relate to cases of bodily harm, intimate partner violence, sexual offences, impaired driving, offences with child victims, or those with mandatory minimum sentences.
- The alternative measures program is a post-charge diversion program and is not a substitute for any police decision.
Source: Department of Justice and Public Safety