Good morning everyone.
My name is Simon Fournel-Laberge. I was invited here today following a report in which I participated on CBC Radio and TV. The subject of the show was the changes that the government wishes to make to the Youth Criminal Justice Act.
I want, first of all, very humbly say that I am not an expert in this field and I do not pretend that I have the solution to the dilemma that society faces with this particular problem. However, I can share with you my personal experience with the youth justice system.
In the eyes of many people, I am living proof that the current justice system, that is really focused on making youth aware of the seriousness of their crimes, on rehabilitation and reintegration, is working. In my case, it took three sentences in youth detention centres before acquiring the tools necessary for my reintegration. I am now 24, I am studying, I work, I pay my taxes and I do everything possible to become an acceptable, responsible and productive member of our society.
But what would have happened to me if at the age of 16, when I was still searching for my identity, I had been labelled as a re-offender and if my picture had been published on the front pages of newspapers. What opinion would I have of myself today? Would it have been so easy for me to find a job, to change my circle of friends and to find the courage and the personal self-esteem necessary to go back to school? I really wonder.
I agree totally that the public has to be protected from violent crimes, but statistics are proving that coercive and punitive measures, repression and longer custody sentences will not prevent crimes from being committed and will not decrease the chance of people re-offending. I believe in prevention and education rather than in repression. However, I am not against longer custody sentences. The last sentence that I was handed down was two years and for me, it was the most beneficial of all. It gave me more time to work on myself along with psychoeducators and my parents. I was able to make contacts with victims, make sincere apologies and make restitution the best I could.
That has allowed me to forgive myself over time and to turn the page on my past as a young offender. Would it be the same if, for example, a 17-year-old in the same situation as mine was transferred into an adult institution as soon as he reached the age of majority? I don't think so. I believe that he would have been penalized because of the lack of resources in the prison system. Prison guards are not trained or mandated to come to the assistance of inmates.
So the question is: should we treat young people in the same way as adults if they commit a serious crime? I do not believe so. We do not treat them this way in any other sphere of our society. For instance, minors do not have the right to vote, because society considers that their moral judgment is not developed enough. A youth under 18 cannot buy alcohol, tobacco or lottery tickets because we consider that he is not able to choose or decide what is good or bad for him. Isn't it, therefore, a paradox to want to judge teenagers as adults? However, this in no way minimizes the damage caused to innocent victims by these young offenders. Would it not be better to invest all this money and energy to provide appropriate resources to inmates who, in the majority of cases, have serious addictions or mental health issues, in order to give them a better chance of turning their life around?
During the difficult years of my youth, in spite of my violence, lacks and deficiencies, Quebec society and Canadian society believed in me and gave me the kick-in-the-pants and the help that I needed. Thanks to that, I can speak today before you and I am proud to contribute to building our society for the future.
And don't fool yourself, I am not the only young person in that case. I am also speaking on behalf of many other youths who make it today thanks to the system presently in place.
I thank you for listening to me.