About the victims register
The Victims Register can give victims of crime some information about the offender’s sentence and when the offender is:
- released into the community on parole
- released into the community following the end of their sentence
- placed on a supervision order or detention order.
Find out more about the information the Victims Register can give you about an offender.
The video below provides further information about how the Victims Register works.
Who can apply to go on the Victims Register
The Victims Register can only provide information about an offender who is serving a sentence in prison for a violent offence against a person.
You are eligible to be put on the Victims Register if you are:
- a primary victim who was harmed by the offence
- a family member of:
- a person who died because of the offence
- a victim who is under 18 years of age
- a victim who has a mental impairment
- a person with a strong connection to the offence, such as a witness for the prosecution
- a victim of family violence from the offender.
A violent offence includes:
- assault
- armed robbery
- stalking
- kidnapping
- family violence
- threats to kill
- sexual offences
- culpable driving
- manslaughter
- murder.
You cannot be put on the Victims Register if:
- the offender is a young person and detained in a Youth Justice Centre
- the offender has not been sentenced
- the offender was sentenced to a community corrections order
- the offender is serving a sentence in another state or territory
- the offender's sentence, parole, supervision order or detention order has finished or they are transferred interstate
- the offender was found not guilty because of mental impairment.
Victims of family violence
If you apply to go on the register as a victim of family violence, the offender’s sentence in prison does not need to be:
- a violent offence against a person, or
- an offence against the victim of family violence.
How to apply
Make an online application
Applying online is generally the easiest way to apply for the Victims Register.
If you choose to save a draft of your online application form and come back to complete it later, you will be asked to provide an email address and a password.
An email will then be sent to you with the link to your saved draft application form. If you do not receive the email, check your spam folder.<
Prepare documentation to support your application
You may be asked to provide supporting documentation during your application, including:
- your identification information (e.g. a current Australian Driving Licence, birth card or certificate, or a current passport)
- evidence of your relationship to a victim if you are applying as the next of kin, primary care giver or family member
- information about the offender and the offence.
Prefer not to use the online application form?
You can apply using the printable application form if you prefer not to use the online application form.
To submit a completed printable application form, you can either:
- email it to victimsregister@justice.vic.gov.au(opens in a new window)
- post it to The Victims Register, GPO Box 4349, Melbourne VIC 3001.
If you are registering for multiple offenders, you must complete and submit a separate printable application form for each offender. This is not required if you are using the online application form(opens in a new window).
Prefer to have a nominee receive information on your behalf?
You can choose someone you trust to receive information from the Victims Register instead of you. This person is referred to as your nominee
Your nominee can be a:
- close friend
- family member
- case worker.
You can:
- change your nominee at any time
- remove your nominee or yourself from the Victims Register at any time.
If you want to use a nominee, you must download and complete the printable application form.
To submit a completed printable application form, you can either:
- email it to VictimsRegister@justice.vic.gov.au
- post it to The Victims Register, GPO Box 4349, Melbourne VIC 3001.
Need help completing an application?
If you need help completing an application or if you have any questions, you can:
- email: VictimsRegister@justice.vic.gov.au
- talk to your Victims Assistance Program case worker, if you have one
- call the Victims of Crime Helpline on 1800 819 817.
What happens after you make an application
Your application and the supporting documentation will be assessed against several criteria. It is important that you provide the required documentation when you submit your application.
If required, the Victims Register may seek further information or clarification from:
- the Office of Public Prosecutions
- a Victorian Court, or
- Victoria Police.
If you are eligible:
- The Victims Register will contact you
- You will begin receiving information about the offender. Find out information you can receive.
If you are not eligible, you will be notified.
It is important that you keep your personal and contact details up to date, so the Victims Register can contact you in a timely manner.
If your personal and contact details change, please let us know by:
- emailing VictimsRegister@justice.vic.gov.au
- calling the Victims of Crime Helpline on 1800 819 817.
The offender will not know who is on the Victims Register
The Victims Register is private. The offender will not know:
- that you are on the Victims Register, or
- if you get information about them.
Information the Victims Register can tell you
Information that the Victims Register must provide to you include:
- the release of an offender on parole
- any decision not to release an offender on parole.
Other information that the Victims Register may also give you include:
- The length of the offender’s sentence.
- The date and circumstances in which an offender is likely to be released.
- If the offender is transferred to another state of Australia or the custody of immigration officials (The Department of Home Affairs).
- If the offender has been approved for a Custodial Community Team Sports Program Permit(opens in a new window).
- If the offender escapes from legal custody.
- If the offender absconds from parole or while on a supervision or detention order.
- If the offender dies.
- If the offender receives an award of damages of $10,000 or more, held in the Prisoner Compensation Quarantine Fund(opens in a new window).
- If the offender applies for parole the Victims Register will invite you to make a written submission to the Adult Parole Board(opens in a new window) for consideration.
- If an application for a supervision or detention order is made against the offender, the Victims Register will invite you to make a written submission to the Court and the Post Sentence Authority(opens in a new window).
- Information about any detention or supervision order imposed on the offender under the Serious Offenders Act 2018(opens in a new window), after the sentence has finished.
Information the Victims Register cannot tell you
Information that the Victims Register can share with you is limited by law. Section 30A of the Corrections Act 1986(opens in a new window) sets out how the Victim Register operates.
The Victims Register can only share information during the period the offender is:
- in prison
- released on parole
- subject to a supervision or detention order under the Serious Offenders Act 2018(opens in a new window).
There is information that cannot be given to a victim by the Victims Register and other criminal justice services such as Corrections Victoria(opens in a new window) and the Adult Parole Board(opens in a new window).
Examples of information that cannot be shared with you include:
- the prison where the offender is serving their sentence
- where the offender will live when they are released
- details of any program the offender attends or completes
- details of any assessments about the offender
- details of any appeal hearings related to the case
- details of court hearings for any other crimes the offender may have committed.
Information you receive must stay confidential
You (or your nominee) must not publicly share any information provided by the Victims Register.
This includes, but is not limited to:
- sharing the information with any media outlet such as television, newspaper, radio, internet, book or other form of communication
- distributing the information in leaflets or brochures in letterboxes
- announcing the information at a meeting.
Sharing this information publicly may result in:
- your registration being cancelled
- other penalties as described in s30I of the Corrections Act 1986(opens in a new window).
You (or your nominee) may share relevant confidential information to an authorised person, for example psychologist or lawyer.
How long you will stay on the Victims Register
Your will remain on the Victims Register until either:
- the sentence of imprisonment and parole finishes, or
- when a supervision or detention order finishes.
It may end earlier if:
- you request to be removed in writing
- the offender dies
- the offender is transferred interstate
- the offender is deported overseas
- you are registered on behalf of a child victim who reaches the age of 18 years and has the legal capacity to apply in their own right
- the Victims Register is unable to contact you after making reasonable efforts.
What law relates to the Victims Register
Section 30A of the Corrections Act 1986 sets out how the Victims Register operates.
Privacy notice
Your information is stored securely by the Victims Register in accordance with the Privacy and Data Protection Act 2014(opens in a new window).
The Victims Register collects the information provided on the application form to:
- establish your eligibility to go on the Victims Register
- provide certain information about the status of one or more offenders against whom you have registered.
When you apply for the Victims Register you provide your personal information voluntarily. You do not have to apply.
Offenders are not informed when a person is placed on the Victims Register.
In certain circumstances, your information may be provided to Corrections Victoria, the Adult Parole Board, the Post Sentence Authority or a ‘law enforcement agency’ as defined in the Privacy and Data Protection Act 2014(opens in a new window) so that those agencies can fulfil their obligations towards you as a victim.
When decisions are made about an offender’s sentence, authorities will do a risk assessment and consider the impact on the registered victim. This may happen when an offender:
- applies for a permit
- applies for parole or transfer interstate
- is placed on a supervision or detention order.
As part of this process the Victims Register may be contacted about geographical areas that may be relevant.
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