Performance Reporting — Continued

Assisting the Vulnerable and Victims

Ministry Goals Supported by Business Area	Key Objectives	Key Strategies
Goal 1: Laws and justice services are administered fairly, equitably and efficiently to all British Columbians, while individual rights and judicial independence are protected Goal 2: Citizens and communities of British Columbia receive protection from crime and its social and economic consequences	Strengthen enforcement of family maintenance orders to reduce demand for income assistance [formerly called BC Benefits] Expedite the resolution of child protection cases Support access to justice for victims of violence and other vulnerable persons	• Provide early settlement opportunities for child protection cases • Provide trained mediators for all voluntary child protection mediation requests • Maximize the appropriate use of Victim Impact Statements/Informations at sentencing

The key objectives for this business area support ministry goals 1 and 2. Recognition and enforcement of child and spousal maintenance obligations support the administration of family law statutes and help ensure that laws and justice services are fairly and equitably applied (Goal 1). Early resolution of child protection cases helps ensure that the rights and safety of children are acknowledged and protected (Goal 2). Early resolution also contributes to the fair, equitable, efficient use of justice services (Goal 1). In supporting access to justice for victims of violence, vulnerable citizens are provided with options to assist them in dealing with the consequences of crimes against them (Goal 2).

The key strategies help achieve the objectives by:

• making settlement opportunities available in child protection and family maintenance cases and ensuring that parents and spouses are aware of, and fulfill, their obligations;
• ensuring trained mediators are available to expedite the resolution of family disputes, especially those that involve the protection of children; and
• encouraging victims to make the justice system and offenders aware of the effects that violent crimes against them have had.

Three key performance measures inform this core business area.

1    Performance Measure	2001/02 Actual	2002/03 Target	2002/03 Actual
Rate of child support payments received through enforcement	78 cents on each dollar due	79 cents on each dollar due	79 cents on each dollar due  Target Met

To reduce the risk that families involved in child support disputes will require income assistance, the rate of child support payments received through enforcement should gradually increase. For 2002/03, the modest target of 79 cents received per dollar due was reached. Data source for this measure is program documentation and records held in the Dispute Resolution Office of the ministry.

2    Performance Measure	2001/02 Actual	2002/03 Target	2002/03 Actual
Percentage of voluntary child protection cases for which trained mediators are available	100%	100%	100%  Target Met

This measure is monitored to ensure it remains at 100%. If the measure should fall below 100%, it would mean that some families did not receive the services that are intended to expedite the resolution of child protection disputes. Data source for this measure is program documentation and records held in the Dispute Resolution Office.

3    Performance Measure	2001/02 Actual	2002/03 Target	2002/03 Actual
Percentage of Victim Impact Statements/Informations received that are used at sentencing	38%	38%	84%  Target Unrealistic

The target for 2002/03 was based on incomplete data from past years; consequently, it was set too low. The results cannot be interpreted as improved services to victims of crime.

During 2002/03, Crown and support staff worked to ensure more complete data entry. The result for 2002/03 represents the first reliable baseline information obtained for this measure, and will serve to establish future targets. The 2002/03 data for this measure is held on JUSTIN, where data for subsequent years will also be entered.

This measure is a percentage of the number of victims involved in cases with a guilty finding, where the Crown presented or filed either the Victim Impact Statement or other victim impact information in court at the time of sentencing divided by the total number of victims who provided such information.