CHILD-FRIENDLY COURTS PROJECT FUNDING ANNOUNCEMENT

The Saskatchewan Ministry of Justice and Attorney General and the Department of Justice Canada have announced a joint project to establish the Child-friendly Courts Project in Saskatchewan.

Justice Canada is contributing $100,000 from its Victims Fund toward the purchase of video conferencing equipment to enable children and other vulnerable witnesses to testify from outside a courtroom. The province is responsible for the installation and implementation of the equipment, as well as staff training and protocol development. The equipment was introduced with a video conference at the Provincial Courthouse in Regina as a highlight of National Victims of Crime Awareness Week.

"This equipment is a huge step forward in our ability to support children and other vulnerable witnesses who are required to testify in court," Saskatchewan's Justice Minister and Attorney General Don Morgan said. "I am pleased that Justice Canada is helping us introduce this new equipment in our province."

"For children and other vulnerable witnesses, being in the same room as the accused can be very intimidating," said Member of Parliament Andrew Scheer, who helped demonstrate the new equipment. "Today's announcement will make sure our youngest and most vulnerable citizens are able to participate in the justice process by testifying outside of the courtroom."

The Provincial Courthouses in Regina and Prince Albert are the first locations to have this new equipment. In 2010-11, equipment will be installed in the North Battleford and Saskatoon Provincial Courthouses and Battlefords Queen's Bench Courthouse.

This project is just one of the initiatives of the federal and provincial governments to assist victims and witnesses of crime.

For information about services available for victims or volunteer opportunities in Saskatchewan, please contact your local Victim Services program. You can also call the Saskatchewan Ministry of Justice Victims Services Branch at 306-787-3500 or visit the website at www.justice.gov.sk.ca/victimsservices.

For information about National Victims of Crime Awareness Week, visit http://www.victimsweek.gc.ca/.

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For more information, contact:

Desirae Bernreuther
Justice and Attorney General
Regina
Phone: 306-787-2626
Email: desirae.bernreuther@gov.sk.ca