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We trust that our presentation of a broader definition of and cost-effective solutions to the problem of youth crime has infused the Committee with the sense of hope and commitment shared by all CWLC members and supporters. As a national organization with a varied membership and strong base of support from the legal and academic community, we believe that the very process of preparing this brief shows the potential for cross discipline and inter-provincial co-operation in developing more suitable responses to youth crime. We would like to extend special thanks to Dr. Irvin Waller of the International Centre for the Prevention of Crime. His centre provides the crucial service of information sharing regarding international approaches to crime prevention, a service which is absolutely necessary if policy makers and advisors in this area are to do their job with effectiveness and creativity. In closing we wish to summarize the main points of this brief in the form of the following recommendations.

THE CWLC'S RECOMMENDATIONS

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The Development and Implementation of
A National Strategy for the Prevention of Crime

The CWLC recommends the immediate implementation of the following four recommendations which were first proposed in the Horner Report and later endorsed by Federal advisors and officials.

1. Reallocation of 1% of the criminal justice system budget to crime prevention each year for five years to reach a total, renewable yearly budget of 5%.

   The CWLC believes that a share of the proceeds of crime should be included in this fund.

2. Implementation of measures to examine what actions were effective in reducing crime through the evaluation of programs and projects which have demonstrated effects of crime reduction.

3. Establishment of funding support by the Federal government for evaluation research as an ongoing tool for policy in this area.

4. Development of a Federal Strategy for crime prevention with administration of funds at a National level, potentially through the National Council on the Prevention of Crime, and implementation at the community level.

   Allocation of Prevention Funding to Family Based Programming

5. Allocation of a substantial portion of the 5% 'Crime Prevention' funding to implement and evaluate programs such as those described in the last section of this brief.

   A range of services should be planned so as to establish a full continuum of youth crime prevention. Such programs must include a more consistently and widely available system of alternative measures and other diversion strategies.

   Consultation with Child Welfare and Mental Health agencies and professionals should be an integral element of this strategy so that services can be coordinated, strategies can be shared, and expertise in both service delivery and evaluation put to good use. Aboriginal and Ethnic Minority communities must be consulted and involved in this process. Gender issues should also be addressed.

6. Replacement of the caps to transfers under the Canadian Assistance Plan with a comprehensive and adequate system for financing much needed social, services for youth and families.

   This may well require an urgent review of the implementation of the Canadian Health and Social Transfer (CHST) which will replace CAP.

   Recommendations Related to the YOA and its implementation

7. Repeal of the corrections focused amendments in Bill C-37, particularly the amendment establishing presumptive transfers of older youth to adult court.

   Consultants, CWLC members, and experts in the area, not to mention the Solicitor General and Honourable Chairperson for this Committee, have consistently stated that except for minor changes the legislation was more than adequate for dealing with serious offenders. The Committee should additionally bear in mind the remarks made by the Minister of Justice when he appeared before you in June of 1994. At that time, he stated that he would not be embarrassed if at the end of the Phase II consultations, some or all of the amendments had to be repeated.

8. New amendments to the YOA which more clearly reflect the requirement that measures undertaken under its jurisdiction be rehabilitative in intent and effect.

   The principles should also include a statement of commitment to preventing youth crime at all levels of the prevention continuum.

9. Increased co-operation of the Federal government with their provincial and territorial counterparts in trying to harmonize the application of the provisions of the YOA in the various jurisdictions. Areas which require attention include:

   a) establishing which strategies constitute sufficiently rehabilitative alternative measures;

   b) deciding how best to control the increased potential for sharing information about a young offender;

   c) the necessity of continuity in sentencing;

   d) the requirement of a rehabilitative and not a correctional approach to custodial sentences and the facilities in which they are served;

   e) discretionary transfers to adult court;

   f) pre-trial detention;

   g) an increased emphasis on non-custodial sentences.