If the accused is prosecuted under the Crimes (Mental Impairment and Unfitness to be Tried) Act 1997, you can make a Victim or Family Member Report telling the court about the impact of the crime on you.
The process under the Act is different to the standard trial process.
The Court will generally place an accused person on a Supervision Order where the person is either:
The Court will consider a number of things when making a Supervision Order, including any Victim or Family Member Reports.
You can make a Victim or Family Member Report if you are:
It is your choice whether or not to make a Victim or Family Member Report.
Making a report provides you with an opportunity to express your views about what the Supervised Person has done and the impact of their conduct on you.
Victim or Family Member Reports help the court decide:
If you make a report, the court is required to consider it before making the Supervision Order. The Office of Public Prosecutions has produced a guide, Prosecuting Mental Impairment Matters, which explains the process where a person who is mentally ill or cognitively impaired is prosecuted for a serious offence.
The guide includes a Victim or Family Member Report Form, which you can use to help you make your report. You do not have to use the form, but any report must be written in the form of a statutory declaration, otherwise the court may not accept it.
