After six years of operation, the Youth Justice Program run out of the United Native Friendship Centre has helped more than 150 young people, and those they victimized, rehabilitate.
According to youth justice coordinator Steve Latimer, since the program’s beginning in December 2002, 165 youth have gone through the program, with only five failing to complete its terms.
“It’s been very successful,” Latimer enthused.
The program has not only been successful, it has caught on elsewhere. At the moment, there are approximately 50 YJPs operating nationwide, with the most recently approved local program located in Dryden. Kenora and Thunder Bay have adopted the system as well. Prior to the Fort Frances start up, only 23 or 24 existed according to Latimer.
An initiative of the Ministry of the Attorney-General, the process is relatively simple in terms of its steps.
Offenders are recommended either by a Crown Attorney or, pre-charge by police to the program. The young person in question however must be willing to participate.
From there, facilitators from the centre, the young person and their parents, the victim and their supporters all meet for a youth justice conference.
Latimer noted that facilitators are not at all intended to establish guilt or innocence-the young person must face up to their actions.
“This program never has, never will and isn’t to this day, a court,” Latimer affirmed. “The young person must take ownership of what they have done.”
“I try to instill in these kids that this is not about punishment.”
The process is about healing-for the young person, the victim and everyone else involved.
The coordinator likes to refer to it as an inclusive process, taking into account people often left out by the traditional justice process.
“It’s inclusive in the sense that victims really benefit as much as young people do. They get to have a face-to-face meeting and that gives them a sense of closure,” he explained.
In addition, following the conversation regarding the offense, the group decides what restorative actions must be taken.
This might include community service, compensation or anything else the group feels will aid healing.
“The young person really benefits because the program we offer is a restorative program,” said the retired OPP officer.
Latimer feels these types of programs benefit the community overall adding 160 of the 165 people to attend the YJP, completed it without criminal records.
Passionate about his work, Latimer refers to the participants as young people because he does not “want to put that offender stigma on them,” he explained.
After his years as an OPP officer, Latimer believes the program is a more suitable form of justice for many offenses.
Those recommended to the program must be between 12 and 17 years of age. The Youth Justice Program only deals with non-violent crimes, most of which revolve around thefts, property damage, mischief and related actions—more “mistakes” than criminal actions as Latimer sees things.
“They just made a stupid mistake. Many people come to us and they really feel crappy about what they’ve done,” he continued.
Adding that most who complete the program do not get in trouble again, Latimer described why he got involved.
“I was in court and I saw what was going on with our young people in court,” he recalled.
Today, the coordinator sees the YJP as a benefit to the community. And he has seen some amazing results.
He cited the case of one young person, who, after going through the YJP, was actually hired by the person they had victimized.
“There have been some amazing things happen,” he commented. “It improves the quality of life for everyone in the community. This is the best way that I have seen to deal with young people who have made a mistake.”
Fort Frances Times
Local News from Across the Rainy River District
