Youth Justice Committee Ontario

The McGuinty government is expanding the Youth Justice Committee program to eight new communities, ensuring that all 54 court jurisdictions across Ontario can deal more effectively with young people in trouble with the law, Attorney General Michael Bryant announced today.

"Youth Justice Committees work," said Bryant. "They strike the right balance between accountability and community intervention. They hold young people accountable for their actions, but also get them off a path toward serious crime."

McGuinty Government Expands Youth Justice Committees To Improve Community Safety

Program To Increase Accountability, Reduce Re-Offending

The McGuinty government is doubling the number of Youth Justice Committees (YJCs) to help 23 more communities across the province deal more effectively with young people in trouble with the law, Attorney General Michael Bryant announced today.

"Youth Justice Committees hold young people accountable for their actions, help get them off the path toward serious crime and encourage them to become contributing members of society," said Bryant. "This successful initiative is part of our ongoing effort to prevent violence and reduce the threat of gang and gun violence in our communities."

Youth Justice Committees were first established in 1999 in six locations in Ontario. The creation of the Jane/Finch Committee brings the current number of committees serving Ontario to 23. These sites include committees in Ottawa, Cornwall, Scarborough (including Malvern), Barrie, Port Colborne, Kitchener, Belleville, Brockville, Cobourg, Hamilton, Huntsville, Newmarket (York Region), Windsor, Whitby, Haliburton (Muskoka), Walkerton, Owen Sound, Armstrong, Nipigon, Fort Frances, Marathon, the Region of Peel and, now, Jane-Finch.

The Ontario government committed in the May 2000 Budget to triple the number of Youth Justice Committees across Ontario from six to 18. The Attorney General announced today that the expansion sites will be located in Belleville, Brockville, Cobourg, Hamilton, Huntsville, Newmarket, Windsor and Whitby as well as Haliburton, Walkerton-Owen Sound, Armstrong-Nipigon-Fort Frances-Marathon and the Region of Peel.

Six Youth Justice Committees were established in 1999. Committees are operating in Cornwall, Ottawa, Barrie, Kitchener, Port Colborne and Toronto. To date, the six locations have dealt with more than 300 cases.

The May 2000 budget provided $500,000 per year to expand the number of Youth Justice Committees from six sites to 18.

Pilot Youth Justice Committees will be established in 1999 in a total of six locations in the province: Barrie; Cornwall; Kitchener; Ottawa; Port Colborne; and Toronto.

Committees Aim to Reduce Repeat Offences

The Committees will provide an alternative to the court-based system for youth offenders who commit minor, non-violent offences for the first time. Young offenders are 12-17 years old.

The Committees address the public's overall support for alternatives to prison for non-violent young offenders that involve compensation of the victim. They also address the public's lack of confidence in the effectiveness of the federal Young Offenders Act to deter youth crime.