PAR Program in Toronto – What to Expect
What Does PAR Stand For
PAR in the context of criminal court is not the same term used in Golf! In Criminal Courts throughout Ontario, PAR stands for “Partner Assault Response”.
What Does The PAR Program Involve
The PAR program is a type of counselling program, operated through a variety of different service providers, that targets domestic violence at an early stage. The following are some of the topics covered in the program:
- Anger awareness
- Power and control
- Gender roles
- Anger interventions and applications
- Effective communication in the partner relationship
- Stress management in relationships
- And more!
Eligibility for the PAR Program
You may have received your disclosure for your Domestic Violence case, and see that the Crown has approved you for “EIP” or has suggested you complete the PAR program in Toronto. These terms can be confusing. To simplify things, generally speaking, the Crown must approve someone to be eligible for the Court operated PAR program; however, there are private, non-subsidized PAR programs, that anyone can enroll in and pay for. Before starting the PAR Program in Toronto, it is critical you obtain advice from a Toronto Domestic Assault Lawyer as there may be significant implications on your case by completing (or not completing) the program.
In short, there are two categories of PAR programs:
- Court Operated (subsidized by the Ministry of Attorney General); and
- Private PAR counselling. To be eligible for the Court Operated program, the Crown Attorney must agree to allow you to participate in the program.
The Crown generally looks at (a) the seriousness of the offence; (b) whether there were injuries and (c) whether the accused has a record when deciding whether to offer the program to an accused person.
Aftermath of Completing PAR Program – What Happens Next?
If you’ve successfully completed the PAR program in Toronto, the Crown Attorney usually proposes 1 of 2 outcomes, after the successful completion of the PAR program: a Peace Bond or a Discharge (typically, a Conditional Discharge).
Successful completion is monitored by way of the Crown receiving a completion report. Crowns generally want a “positive” report in order to accept one of the two mentioned outcomes.
To obtain a positive report, you generally must:
- Participate in the sessions;
- Not interrupt or disrupt the sessions;
- Not focus on the wrongdoing of another person, such as the complainant (but, rather, focus on what you could have done differently in the situation);
- Not be late for the sessions;
- Not miss any sessions without any legitimate reason
As far as the outcomes go after completing the PAR Program in Toronto, a Peace bond would typically involve your criminal charges being withdrawn without you admitting criminal liability. Certain conditions would be imposed on you to follow, usually for 12 months, such as staying out of trouble; having no contact with the other party, not to possess any weapons, etc.
By Contrast, a Discharge, in this context, would require a plead of guilt to one ore more of the charges you are facing, and for you to admit the facts that make out those charges. While a Discharge is a finding of guilt, it is not a criminal conviction in Canada.
How Long is the PAR Program
The PAR program is typically 12 sessions if you complete the Court operated program. Private programs vary as far as number of sessions.
What is the Structure of PAR Counselling
Generally speaking, the PAR Program in Toronto consists of a number of group oriented counselling sessions.
If you have been charged with a Domestic Assault or Domestic Violence offence and are being offered a chance to participate in the PAR Program, feel free to reach out to Andrew Captan – an Experienced Domestic Assault Lawyer – for a consultation about your rights and options in your case.
