We'll both be presenting, but I'll lead off.
The Mennonite Central Committee of Canada is the relief, development, and peace-building arm of the Mennonite and Brethren in Christ churches in Canada. In the area of justice, we have a long history of programs that work with victims, programs that work with offenders, and programs that bring the two together in dialogue. We thank you for inviting us here today.
MCC envisions a criminal justice system where human realities are taken into account. Communities play a strong role in addressing justice, and a variety of alternatives exist to ensure that victim needs are met, that offenders take responsibility and have the opportunity for rehabilitation, and that harm is repaired.
This vision conflicts in several ways with Bill C-10. Taking into account the human realities of guns and gangs calls for a much broader response than the sentencing provisions proposed here; however, even these provisions cause us some concern. As we have already heard today, mandatory minimums reduce judicial discretion, which is important for responding to human realities and creating community alternatives.
Additionally, the increased use of incarceration has undesirable affects. It limits opportunities for victims to receive restitution and other forms of restoration. As crowding becomes a problem, incarceration limits opportunities for offenders to leave jail with more life skills than they went in with.
Longer sentences create greater difficulties for successful integration into community life. Increased use of incarceration leads to these negative effects, while at the same time it has no positive effect on reducing the crime rate.
Today we'd like to speak to you of our own experience with deterrence and community safety, both strong themes in the justification of Bill C-10. In previous appearances before this committee, we have talked to you about our program of circles of support and accountability; today we're going to elaborate on that experience.