The needs of the British Columbia mother whose three children were killed by her mentally ill husband must be equally considered alongside the needs of Allan Schoenborn when a panel re-evaluates whether he should get daypasses into the community, says a justice expert.

Members of the B.C. Review Board are to reconvene on Thursday to take a second look at whether granting leave to Schoenborn, who was found not criminally responsible for the killings, was the right decision after it was learned last week his ex-wife is living in the same city.

Outrage from victim Darcie Clarke's family and other community residents highlights the shortcomings of the justice system, which tips the scales in the interests of the offender, said Simon Fraser University criminologist Brenda Morrison.

Clarke discovered the bodies of her children in their Merritt, B.C. home on April 6, 2008. A manhunt ensued for her former husband, who ran off into the bush.

"Our system is more offender-focused. They have a lawyer, the Crown has a lawyer, and the victim has a victim support person who might not even be involved in their life anymore," said Morrison, co-founder of the Centre for Restorative Justice, in an interview on Saturday.

Restorative justice, which has roots in Aboriginal healing traditions, emphasizes the needs of victims and offenders instead of simply meting out punishment.

"I think everybody's voice has to be included in this," Morrison said. "The people that are most affected by the injustice and homicide in this case have to be included in the decision-making process."

The review board announced on Wednesday it would reconsider its recommendation after the director of the Forensic Psychiatric Hospital in Port Coquitlam, where Schoenborn is being treated, learned about his former wife's whereabouts.

Its members had agreed to the man's request for temporary escorted outings, a year after denying his request to be discharged for good from the hospital on the grounds he was still a threat to society. This time, hospital director Dr. Johann Brink had supported the supervised leaves -- which would be granted at his discretion -- as long as the man was to be closely monitored due to "unresolved anger issues."

Brink said during the hearing Schoenborn's aggression has declined, his delusional disorder is in remission, and he has been moved to a low-security unit.

Morrison said she supports a move by B.C. Attorney General Barry Penner to strengthen victims' rights by urging the federal justice minister to amend Canada's laws. Penner suggested facilities that treat mentally ill people who commit serious crimes should have protected access to the addresses of victims.

But she added the justice system needs to go much further than that to truly support victims, including adding a healing component. While punishment is consistent for offenders across the country, services to help the victims of crime vary from province to province, she said, noting for example that Alberta has better system than B.C.

"This isn't an easy issue, but I know we can do better," she said. "I think it's a tragedy that the family found out so late, and that it was so close to home -- they're clearly not ready for this and we need to address victims' needs in very serious ways.

"These are people, we need to treat that with the ultimate respect. If we don't support them throughout the justice process, we're going to pick them up in the health care system, they're not going to live the lives we want them to live."

Morrison, who is also heading a fundraising effort to create Vancouver's first B.C. Victims of Homicide group, encouraged members of the agencies that each distinctly represent victims and offenders to work more closely together. She said politicians must also join forces to improve the system, which has neglected victims since its inception.

"We need a more holistic way to close this gap," Morrison said, noting most offenders are eventually released.

"Hopefully it's been a just process for all, but it's certainly not fair to victims, they're almost always the last person to know."