At each stage of the justice process within Manitoba, you can choose to use rights from Law Enforcement Agencies, Manitoba Prosecution Service, The Courts, and Manitoba Corrections.
Law Enforcement Agencies
As a crime victim, your first point of contact with the justice system is likely to be a police officer. In Manitoba, this would include RCMP, Winnipeg or Brandon Police Service and municipal police. Under The Victims’ Bill of Rights, when meeting with police, you have the right to:
give an opinion on alternative/extrajudicial measures and release
be interviewed by an officer of the same gender in a sexual offence
have personal details about you kept confidential
information about the investigation
information about an offender’s escape from police custody
have your property returned when it is no longer needed as part of an investigation
information about the Manitoba Prosecution Service
Manitoba Prosecution Service
When someone is charged with a crime, a Crown attorney in the Manitoba Prosecution Service is responsible for dealing with the case. The Crown attorney must be fair to all parties in the case, including victims, witnesses and the accused. The Crown attorney is not your lawyer, but will take into account your concerns. As a victim, you have the right to:
information about the status of the prosecution
have your views on the prosecution seriously considered
have the Crown request restitution
information about Manitoba Corrections
The Courts
Criminal cases are presented in court. The courts include the physical place where cases are heard and the people who work there, such as the judges, clerks and sheriffs. If your case is presented in court, you have the following rights:
access to court proceedings
information about the date, time and place of a court proceeding
Manitoba Corrections
Manitoba Corrections is responsible for sentenced and unsentenced offenders. If the offender in your case is sentenced and will be handled by the provincial system, you have the right to ask for information, such as:
whether a person is under supervision, or in custody, and the name and location of the jail or supervising office
how to add your comments to a pre-sentencing report
estimated dates of release from custody and the dates of temporary absences or other types of release, along with their terms and conditions
notification of an offender’s escape, being unlawfully at large and recapture
warning of an offender’s possible threat to your safety and security
Other Rights and Services for Victims of Crime
Going through the justice process can take time away from work. Victims of serious crime have rights outside of the justice system. This includes specific rights from your employers, such as being given time off work to:
testify
present a victim impact statement to the court
observe any sentencing of the accused
Retrieved from: https://www.gov.mb.ca/justice/vs/vsc/vbr.html