Let me echo that last sentiment of expressing our condolences. We do struggle here with these issues. Obviously, Mr. Teague, your most recent experience has put you through a somewhat similar process.
Ms. McCuaig, I want to ask you about the process. You said, “What am I going to tell my family? I haven't told them yet.” One of the things I would like you to tell them, because it's information that's come up before the committee, is that with some exceptions on the U.S. side, we still keep our convicted murderers in custody longer than any other country in the world. The average person who has been sentenced to life without possibility of parole for 25 years—even taking into account those cases in which they can apply after 15 years under the faint hope clause—in fact stays in our prisons for 28 and a half years on average. I would like you to tell that to your grandchildren, because that should give them some solace.
I think the other thing I'd like you to tell them is that it is rare for anybody to get out at the 15-year mark. I think I've only identified a few cases so far. The norm for those who get out are usually at around the 21-year or 22-year period, and only 15% of all of the murder cases—in fact, it's a little bit less than 15%—get out before 25 years. For the rest of them, it's 28 and a half years on average.
I want to assure you as well, speaking for all parties here, the dollar figures.... I guess I want to say to you that you're wrong on that one point. It's not a consideration, not when it comes to murder. It's not a consideration at all. I agree, Mr. Teague, with your point that we actually need to be spending more money on that around rehabilitation.
Let me finish with one question. The system is built on the principle that this won't happen without a jury of 12 people deciding unanimously that somebody will not get out early. They have to make that final decision. It's not a judge. It's a jury who makes that decision. I'm asking both of you whether that gives you any sense of confidence that the system will work, so that somebody like Richardson, if in fact there has been no rehabilitation—and Ms. McCuaig, you have every reason to believe that there hasn't been any, given what you've described—that 12 members of the Canadian public, people like yourselves, would guarantee that that would not happen. Does that give you any sense of confidence?