Malcolm Gorrill
Northern News Services
Inuvik (Jun 15/01) - Const. Mike Carter wants to keep more young people out of court.
Accordingly, Carter is compiling a list of the diversion programs available among different agencies in town, to make it easier for the Mounties to refer someone to a group if they run afoul of the law.
As an example, Carter said several times he's come across 15 and 16-year-olds drinking alcohol.
"There's alternatives other than having to charge them every time," Carter said.
"Charging every (underage) person that we pick up that's been consuming alcohol is just not practical. It doesn't help them."
Carter said his registry is based on RCMP policy, but to compile it he will be consulting with various groups, including the fire department, the Community Justice Forum, Ingamo Hall, Inuvialuit Development Corp., the Gwich'in Council and Turning Point.
Carter said the RCMP like to see proactive policies regarding youth, right across the country. He said this registry will take about three months to compile and will be monitored once in place.
"It's going to take the co-operation of the entire detachment, plus all the agencies in town."
Carter believes he has an advantage in that he already knows most of the young people in town. Though he only joined the Inuvik detachment this past March, he taught for two years at Samuel Hearne, and for three years before that taught in Tuktoyaktuk.
Carter also plans to do more talks in the schools in town, and later this year will take training so that he can teach the DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) program.
