Notification to protect children from
abuse

In 1995, the Ministry of Attorney General
introduced a notification policy to protect
children from abuse.” Based on the provincial
Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act
(PFOIPPA), this policy enhanced public safety
with regard to high-risk sex offenders. It also
protected children from sexual abuse
perpetrated by known sex offenders.

Disclosure occurred when there was risk of
significant harm to the health or safety of an
individual, the public or a group of people, or it

was in the public interest.” Under this policy,
probation and correctional officers were
required to prepare a risk assessment on all
persons under theit supervision or in custody
who were convicted of sexual or violent
offences against children.

When the risk of reoffending was high, the
probation or correctional officer provided
notification to persons who were at tisk.
Notification included disclosure of personal
information about the offender to the party at
tisk, with or without an offender’s consent. The
ADM of Corrections established guidelines for
probation officers to interpret this policy.”°

Developments in family justice services

The work of several groups, committees and
individuals led to reforms of the family justice
system and successful pilot projects. The
reforms flowed from the need to manage
resources efficiently while providing better
quality, more accessible, family justice services.
These reforms and pilots also focused family
justice services on alternative dispute resolution
services.

By the end of the decade, Family Justice
Services Division was a significant player in the
Corrections Branch. In 2001, it became part of
the new Justice Services Branch of the Ministry
of Attorney General.

Events in the late 1980s

The specialization of family justice services
(formerly known as family court counselling
setvices) started in the 1980s. A number of
developments brought about a review of family
justice services and the role of family court
counsellors.

In 1987, as part of a government-wide initiative,
the Branch explored privatization of some
family justice services. Privatization was an
attempt to deliver services more efficiently.

Although the government decided not to
ptivatize family justice services, the review
process still had an impact on the organization.
The examination of privatization thoroughly

54 As part of the known abuser project, the Criminal Records Renew Act was passed and came into effect on January
1, 1996, for new employees who worked with children. The purpose of this act was to help protect children
from physical and sexual abuse. It established procedures to ensure that anyone in the province who worked

with children had a criminal record check.
55 Section 25 of the FOIPPA.

56 ADM Directive 99:02, British Columbia Ministry of Attorney General, Corrections Branch, 1999.

The Era of Risk Management (1990-1997)

219