Victims of crime are increasing their use of victim services in Jasper, according to recent numbers.

Use of victim services has doubled since 2007.

Victim services were called upon 176 times in 2008, up from 92 incidents in 2007, and numbers for the first quarter of 2009 are also up. The not for profit group responded to 26 incidents in the first three months of 2009, and provided follow-up services another 52 times.

The 2007 numbers are skewed, as victim services weren’t available in Jasper until April of that year, however president Paul Schmidt said there is increased trust in the program.

“The police have limited time to spend with the victims,” Schmidt said. “We respond from the time of the incident all the way through to the funeral.”

He doesn’t attribute the higher numbers to an increase in crime, but to the expansion of the program.

“We don’t have crime rate numbers. We have gang activity, but they’re not situated here,” Schmidt said.

Schmidt said the RCMP are more comfortable calling on victim services, thus lessening their own workload. 

“A big part is they know what we can do and what we can offer. During the first year, there was a focus on a lot of the details. Now we can focus on the actual work.”

The increased demand on the program has allowed Schmidt to increase his workload to 40 hours per week. The program currently has five advocates who respond to incidents, and will be training another seven.

“The majority of the time we respond to the hospital,” he said.

Since the organization is at arms-length from the court, Schmidt said it can appear safer to users. He said many victims of crime expect to feel vindicated after a trial, but that’s often not the case. Victim service workers attempt to explain the proceedings, and help victims deal with the criminal justice system.

“A lot of victims are not happy with the court. A big part of our job is prepping for it,” Schmidt said.

He also helps victims of crime receive financial benefits. He said not many people know victims of crime can receive up to $1,000 per month in compensation, for the rest of their life.

With the increase in numbers comes an increase in costs. 

“If we need to put people in a hotel, on a bus or in a rental car, we like to have the option to pay for those costs. Especially when there’s a death, we help with the costs of getting sorted out,” Schmidt said.

The organization is running a golf tournament in September as its first fundraiser at Jasper Park Lodge. Funding continues to shift from government portfolio to portfolio for all 124 victim services programs across Alberta, and Schmidt said the local organization needs help covering costs.