Thank you and good morning.
My name is Warren Lemcke, deputy chief commanding the investigation division of the Vancouver Police Department. It's my honour to be here today.
I wish to present the views of the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police on part 2 of the Safe Streets and Communities Act, as this part of the bill pertains to changes in legislation regarding conditional sentence orders.
While a useful and appropriate tool for the courts, conditional sentence orders should be used only where appropriate and the law should reflect that by eliminating their use when the crimes are serious in nature. On behalf of the CACP and, I hope, the citizens we serve in communities across Canada, we support this proposed legislation. Conditional sentence orders are an appropriate sentencing tool in cases of convictions for minor criminal offences, especially where the offender does not have an aggravating criminal history.
People make mistakes in life. We accept that. For those who've had little or no contact with the criminal justice system in the past and have committed a minor offence, these orders are appropriate and should be encouraged. However, where a more serious offence is involved, especially crimes of violence against a person or serious crimes against property, conditional sentence orders are not appropriate.
This act removes the possibility of conditional sentence orders for people convicted of committing such offences. It focuses on serious penalties for serious offences. Canadians want this, especially the victims of crime. Canadians need to know that if they are the victims of a serious crime, the sentence given to the person who committed the crime will be one that acts as a deterrent, denounces the act, and protects citizens through the incarceration of the criminal. Anything else will lessen their faith in the criminal justice system.
When I was in the police academy 26 years ago, there was a great deal of focus on the Charter of Rights and Freedoms in our lectures. In particular, there was considerable discussion about section 24, where it states that if there's a breach of the charter such that the admission of evidence would bring the administration of justice into disrepute, the evidence should not be admitted. This section deals with bringing the administration of justice into disrepute in the eyes of society. When a person is convicted of a serious criminal offence and he receives a conditional sentence order, this is exactly what happens. In the eyes of the victim and society, the administration of justice has been brought into disrepute.
It is not uncommon for Canadians to hear media reports of criminals being convicted of serious crimes only to be given conditional sentence orders. I will not comment on the specifics of the cases, nor will I criticize the courts, but I would like to include two recent cases profiled in the Vancouver media where conditional sentences were given and caused tremendous public concern. I'll leave it to the committee to review those. I believe they're in the package going to you.
Canadians want to know that if they become victims of crime, the perpetrators will be dealt with properly by the criminal justice system and will face appropriate consequences for their actions. We believe that this legislation provides appropriate consequences for serious criminal acts and that it will strengthen the public's faith in the criminal justice system. Canadians need to have their confidence in the criminal justice system restored, perhaps reinvigorated. Victims need to know that if they are victimized the criminal justice system will respond appropriately. Criminals need to know that they will face serious consequences for their actions.
I'd be pleased to answer any questions you may have.