Subsonic Chronic
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Doing drugs keeps kids out of trouble!
Youth crime on the decline
By DARREN YOURK
Globe and Mail Update
Thursday, March 21 – Online Edition, Posted at 5:53 PM EST
Youth crime in Canada continues to decline, a survey released Thursday says, but drug-related offences among youths in the 12 to 17 age group are on the rise.
Canadian youth courts heard 99,590 cases in the fiscal year 2000-01, down 10 per cent from 1996-97. During this period the number of cases involving property crimes declined 23 per cent, while cases involving violent crimes declined 6 per cent.
"The numbers are quite consistent with the direction that is being taken with the new Youth Criminal Justice Act," said Richard Barnhorst, senior legal council for the Canadian Department of Justice. "With the legislation the idea is to take the less serious cases out of the courts and deal with them in other ways."
The Youth Criminal Justice Act will replace Canada's Young Offenders Act. Among the act's mandates are allowing provinces to lower the age, to 14 from 16, at which youths can receive adult sentences for serious crimes and reducing the levels of incarceration for youth community programs and measures.
The federal government has agreed to delay implementation of the Act in order to allow provinces to prepare for the new legislation.
Over the same period of time youth court cases dropped the number of cases for drug-related offences has increased 30 per cent.
"Some of these changes in reported crime can result from change of emphasis in enforcement," said Bob Wood, an Ontario MPP and member of the Ontario Crime Commission. "It's hard to say if that number means drug use is up. I don't think that number in and of itself can tell you if use is up or if it is merely that enforcement practices have changed."
Property crime accounted for 40 per cent of all cases before youth courts, and violent crime accounted for 22 per cent. About one-half of these violent crime cases consisted of common assaults, which include pushing, slapping, punching and face-to-face verbal threats.
Other Criminal Code offences accounted for 18 per cent and Young Offenders Act offences accounted for 12 per cent of all cases.
Sixty per cent of youth court cases in 2000/01 resulted in guilty verdicts. Probation was the most serious sentence handed down in 48 per cent of cases with guilty findings. A custody sentence (open or secure) was ordered about one-third of the time.
Youths aged 16 and 17 accounted for 51 per cent of the cases in 2000/01. Fifteen-year-olds accounted for 22 per cent of cases and those aged 12-14, 25 per cent.
Case rates for youth courts were highest in Western Canada. Courts in Saskatchewan recorded a rate of 946 cases for every 10,000 youths, followed by Manitoba (667) and Alberta (632). All were significantly higher than the national average of 403.
"We've seen this variation for years," Mr. Barnhorst said. "I think it largely has to do with decision making.... I'm not aware that there is a significant difference in the seriousness of crimes. It seems to be more related to decision making by officials like police or prosecutors."
The lowest case rates were in Prince Edward Island (170), Quebec (182) and British Columbia (304).
Youth crime on the decline
By DARREN YOURK
Globe and Mail Update
Thursday, March 21 – Online Edition, Posted at 5:53 PM EST
Youth crime in Canada continues to decline, a survey released Thursday says, but drug-related offences among youths in the 12 to 17 age group are on the rise.
Canadian youth courts heard 99,590 cases in the fiscal year 2000-01, down 10 per cent from 1996-97. During this period the number of cases involving property crimes declined 23 per cent, while cases involving violent crimes declined 6 per cent.
"The numbers are quite consistent with the direction that is being taken with the new Youth Criminal Justice Act," said Richard Barnhorst, senior legal council for the Canadian Department of Justice. "With the legislation the idea is to take the less serious cases out of the courts and deal with them in other ways."
The Youth Criminal Justice Act will replace Canada's Young Offenders Act. Among the act's mandates are allowing provinces to lower the age, to 14 from 16, at which youths can receive adult sentences for serious crimes and reducing the levels of incarceration for youth community programs and measures.
The federal government has agreed to delay implementation of the Act in order to allow provinces to prepare for the new legislation.
Over the same period of time youth court cases dropped the number of cases for drug-related offences has increased 30 per cent.
"Some of these changes in reported crime can result from change of emphasis in enforcement," said Bob Wood, an Ontario MPP and member of the Ontario Crime Commission. "It's hard to say if that number means drug use is up. I don't think that number in and of itself can tell you if use is up or if it is merely that enforcement practices have changed."
Property crime accounted for 40 per cent of all cases before youth courts, and violent crime accounted for 22 per cent. About one-half of these violent crime cases consisted of common assaults, which include pushing, slapping, punching and face-to-face verbal threats.
Other Criminal Code offences accounted for 18 per cent and Young Offenders Act offences accounted for 12 per cent of all cases.
Sixty per cent of youth court cases in 2000/01 resulted in guilty verdicts. Probation was the most serious sentence handed down in 48 per cent of cases with guilty findings. A custody sentence (open or secure) was ordered about one-third of the time.
Youths aged 16 and 17 accounted for 51 per cent of the cases in 2000/01. Fifteen-year-olds accounted for 22 per cent of cases and those aged 12-14, 25 per cent.
Case rates for youth courts were highest in Western Canada. Courts in Saskatchewan recorded a rate of 946 cases for every 10,000 youths, followed by Manitoba (667) and Alberta (632). All were significantly higher than the national average of 403.
"We've seen this variation for years," Mr. Barnhorst said. "I think it largely has to do with decision making.... I'm not aware that there is a significant difference in the seriousness of crimes. It seems to be more related to decision making by officials like police or prosecutors."
The lowest case rates were in Prince Edward Island (170), Quebec (182) and British Columbia (304).
