Bill C-27 (39th Parliament, 1st Session) Committee on June 6th, 2007

[Carole Freeman, Bloc, Châteauguay—Saint-Constant, QC]

According to the numbers, 75% of dangerous offenders started out as young offenders and 96.6% of them committed sexual acts with use of force before the age of 16. We therefore see that 99.6 or 75% of dangerous offenders, depending, are or were young offenders.

Mr. Cannavino, as President of your association, what is your view of preventive measures, given that we see that 96.6% of dangerous offenders had already committed crimes before the age of 16?

[Tony Cannavino]

This is the reason why I am telling you that...

[The Acting Chair, Liberal, Brian Murphy]

Mr. Cannavino, you only have 30 seconds left to respond.

[Carole Freeman, Bloc, Châteauguay—Saint-Constant, QC]

Would there not be some way of finding means to help them?

[Tony Cannavino]

Madam Freeman, yes, I believe that there are means to help these people, and that is the reason why the Canadian Police Association has asked for a review of the Canadian correctional system. It is precisely because we want to find tools and programs in order to try and save some of these people.

[Carole Freeman, Bloc, Châteauguay—Saint-Constant, QC]

Voilà. You believe that by investing in rehabilitation, in trying to help these young people...

[Tony Cannavino]

Some of them will be able to recover. As for the others, there will have to be...

[Carole Freeman, Bloc, Châteauguay—Saint-Constant, QC]

This might help us avoid overpopulating our penitentiaries later on.

[The Acting Chair, Liberal, Brian Murphy]

I wish to thank the witnesses, Mr. Griffin and Mr. Cannavino.

There is going to be another meeting in three minutes.