Chris Puglia
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Nov 25/02) - Young offenders will be back in society after serving two-thirds of their sentence under changes coming April 1, 2003.

On that day, the Canadian Young Offenders Act will become the Youth Criminal Justice Act.

"The concentration is keeping the offender in the community if they are not violent and having more community programs," said Doug Friesen, GNWT director of corrections.

"In the new act the probation officer will follow the case right from the start," said Friesen. Under the present law, probation officers don't get involved until after the sentence is served.

"The last third of their sentence they will spend in the community under community supervision," said Friesen.

Currently there is no probationary period for young offenders; they serve their entire sentence and are then released.

Under the new system, young offenders could be subject to a longer sentence if they break the conditions of their probation, said Friesen.

Some similarities

Secure and open custody will also be concepts under the new Act. Open custody refers to a system where young offenders are placed in group home settings - a family environment similar to a foster home or a wilderness camp. Secure custody offenders are placed in correctional facilities.

"There are locked doors. You are locked in your cell at night and they are controlled in their movement," said Friesen.

The new Act will maintain the focus on education.

"Young offenders go to schools in the community. Or, we have classrooms in the facility with teachers and they follow the standard curriculum," said Friesen.

Aside from offering an education, there are a number of rehabilitation services such as alcohol and drug counselling, life skills counselling and cognitive skills counselling.