Victims who are registered on the Victim notification register

Before the offender’s hearing
Victims who are registered on the Victim notification register are automatically informed when the offender who offended against them is due to be considered by the Board for parole or for release at the end of their sentence.  In most cases a registered victim will be informed about 2-3 months before the offender’s hearing.  This is to give the registered victim sufficient time to prepare a submission to the Board about the offender.

The letter usually only states the week during which the offender’s hearing will be held rather than the actual date.  This is because the actual hearing date is often not finalised until the week before the hearing, and even then, is still liable to change.

There are some cases where the Board is not able to give 2-3 months notice of an offender’s hearing.  If the offender has requested a hearing earlier than they were previously scheduled because they can show a change in their circumstances then the hearing may have to be scheduled sooner.  When it is not possible to give 2-3 months notice the Board will try to give a registered victim as much time to prepare a submission as possible.

Requesting information about the offender
Victims who are registered on the Victim notification register are entitled to request information from the Department of Corrections about an offender (serving a long-term prison sentence) in order to help the victim prepare a submission to the Board.  The victim should request the information as soon as they receive a letter from the Board advising them that the offender is due to have their case considered.

The type of information that the Department of Corrections can provide is:

• a list of any programmes attended and completed since the start of the offender’s sentence;
• the offender’s current security classification;
• any subsequent convictions since the offender began their sentence.

If you wish to receive this information, you must request this information from:

The Victims Information Manager
Department of Corrections
Private Box 1206
Wellington 6140

After the offender’s hearing
Victims who are registered on the Victim notification register are advised of the Board’s decision about the offender who offended against them.  They do not have to make a submission to the Board to be eligible to receive this information – it is sent automatically.  (The type of information that is sent is detailed in the ‘After the hearing’ section of this website).

Victims who are registered on the Victim notification register will, in most cases, receive information from other agencies as well as from the Board.  Sometimes the amount of information that is sent may seem a little overwhelming.  If you are a victim who is registered on the Victim notification register and receive information that you do not understand then either Victim Support or the agency that sent the information will be able to help explain it.