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What Happens to the Offender?

During the police investigation, police may refer to the person accused of committing the crime as the 'alleged offender'.

This is because our criminal justice system assumes that people accused of committing crimes are innocent until proven guilty in a court.

The alleged offender has the right to make no comment in response to police questions.

If the charges are for very serious crimes, such as rape or murder, the police may first obtain advice from the Office of Public Prosecutions (OPP) before charging the accused person. Offenders charged with a serious crime may:

• be released on bail and required to attend court when the case is heard against them
• be held in custody until a court hears the case against them.

A victim's safety is considered when deciding whether to grant bail and/or impose any special conditions on the accused person.

If you are concerned that the accused person may threaten or harm you or your family, you should talk to the police before the accused person is granted bail.