I think, as the saying goes, it's in cases of the worst crime for the worst offender.
That is, the worst crime for the worst offender.
That's why, in my presentation, I questioned whether it was reasonable to think that this sentence would be useful if it were only applied in the case of offences liable to sentences of 5 years, 2 years, 18 months or 6 months. The Criminal Code provides for these sentences.
If someone who has committed an offence that is liable to a sentence of at least two years appears for the first time before a judge, the judge, before sending the person to jail, is going to have to verify whether there are circumstances warranting that person's isolation from society. I can tell you that it's relatively rare for people appearing in court for the first, or even second, time.
Conditional sentences are imposed in cases where the judges feel that a sentence of imprisonment is required. When that is required for a first offence, it's because that offence is serious. We are talking here about individuals with no previous criminal record, who have committed an offence, but who fit the profile of someone who is clearly a candidate for rehabilitation. Sometimes the person is already fully rehabilitated, for example, when the offence was only reported years after the fact. We are not just talking about sexual abuse here; there are other types of offence too. In some cases, the person is fully rehabilitated.
So the court has before it an individual who has committed an objectively serious offence, which, objectively, should give rise to a sentence of imprisonment. However, a sentence of imprisonment is not justified in such a case. This is the type of offence we are talking about.
I have taken up too much time, I'm sorry, Mr. Chairman.