I've always believed that justice has to be done at two levels: rehabilitation and incarceration. They are not incompatible. Incarceration is a period during which perpetrators are told to think about their behaviour and make an effort to control it. In incidents of spousal violence, 80% of men have never gone to trial. I remind you that these are men who return home on the strength of no more than a recognizance to keep the peace, pursuant to section 810 of the Criminal Code.
When they are sent back home, they are required to seek assistance. If our justice system is not based on an obligation to seek help, we'll end up with what we had in the 1950s and 1960s with drunk driving, with 800 people killed every year on Quebec roads. It's now somewhere between 120 and 125, because men are now required to seek assistance if they have a drinking problem. This strengthens the justice system. A very clear message was sent to the effect that drunk driving was a criminal offence.
I don't think the message about spousal violence being a criminal offence is being sent. I don't think so. The message is rather that domestic violence is condoned.