Department of Justice

MINISTER OF JUSTICE ANNOUNCES YOUTH JUSTICE STRATEGY

OTTAWA, May 12, 1998 -- Anne McLellan, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, today released the government's proposed strategy for youth justice renewal.

"The current system is not working as it should in many significant areas. We need to do more to prevent youth crime in the first place, to develop meaningful responses to youth crime that emphasize responsibility and respect for the victim and the community, and to deal more firmly and effectively with violent and repeat young offenders," Minister McLellan said. "Canadians want a youth justice system that protects society and that helps youth avoid crime or turn their lives around if they do become involved in crime. The government's youth justice strategy will acccomplish this."

The strategy is based on three key directions that work together to better protect the public:

• prevention;
• meaningful consequences for youth crime, including targeted
  measures for violent and repeat offenders; and
• intensified rehabilitation.

Key proposals include:

• replacing the Young Offenders Act with a new youth criminal justice act that will put public protection first and that will command respect, foster values such as accountability and responsibility, and make it clear that criminal behaviour will lead to meaningful consequences;
  
  
• a strong prevention component linked to other federal government initiatives aimed at children and youth, including the $32 million Crime Prevention Initiative, National Children's Agenda, and response to the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples;
  
  
• encouraging the development of a full range of community-based sentences and effective alternatives to the justice system for non-violent young offenders that foster respect, emphasize responsibility to the victim and community, help youth understand the impact of their actions, and allow them to see a clear connection between the offence and its consequences;
  
  
• expanding the offences for which a young offender would be liable to adult sentences from murder, attempted murder, manslaughter, and aggravated sexual assault to include a pattern of serious violent offences. In addition, the age limit for young offenders who are presumed to be liable to adult sentences would be lowered from 16 to 14;
  
  
• permitting the publication of the names of all young offenders who have been convicted and qualify for an adult sentence. Publication of the names of 14- and 15-year olds convicted of murder, attempted murder, manslaughter, aggravated sexual assault or who have a pattern of convictions for serious violent offences could also be permitted;
  
  
• establishing a special sentencing option for the most violent, high-risk young offenders. The regime would require these offenders to participate in intensive rehabilitation and treatment programs and be subject to extended periods of controlled supervision in the community once released; and
  
  
• reducing the legal complexities in determining whether voluntary statements by youth can be admitted as evidence.

The government's new youth justice strategy also proposes provisions that would simplify and streamline procedures so that the system works more efficiently, placing less of a burden on victims and families, and ensuring that young offenders see a clear connection between their offence and the sentence they receive.

Emphasis will also be placed on providing more support to victims, ensuring better victim notification and improving public participation and information in the youth justice system.

"We are responding to calls for necessary changes to the law, but we are doing much more than that," Minister McLellan said. "Our new youth justice strategy looks beyond legislation and even the youth justice system itself to explore ways society as a whole can address youth crime and associated factors such as poverty and child abuse."

The Minister indicated that the provinces and others working in the youth justice system will be immediately consulted on the development and implementation of the proposals, and that detailed measures, including new legislation, will follow.

The government's strategy responds to recommendations made by the House of Commons Standing Committee that conducted a year-long review of Canada's approach to youth justice. The Committee travelled across Canada hearing from victims' organizations, the law enforcement community, municipal and provincial officials and many others on how Canada's youth justice system could be improved, and issued its report in April, 1997.

Minister McLellan expressed her thanks to the members of the Standing Committee, including its chair, Shaughnessy Cohen, M.P.

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