Jennifer McPhee
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Aug 08/03) - In territorial court July 25, Judge Brian Bruser bemoaned the lack of youth treatment programs in the North as he struggled to find a sentence that would help a 14-year-old Yellowknife girl.

The girl, who wiped tears from her eyes during her trial, pleaded guilty to assault, uttering a threat and theft.

Crown prosecuter Andrew Fox told the court the teen approached an 11-year-old girl on the street in April.

She called her a "whore" and punched her in the mouth and face.

She said if the girl told anyone, she would beat her again.

On July 6, she stole $15 from her mother.

Three days later, police received a report the girl was yelling and swearing at children in a playground.

A psychologist's report found the girl is in "dire need" of specialized treatment -- a conclusion the judge, Crown, defence and girl's mother agreed with.

The judge said he does not have the authority to order what the girl needs.

The new youth criminal justice act does allow judges to send youths to an intensive support and supervision program, with a rehabilitative component -- if approved by the territorial director.

However, there won't be staff to run the program here until September.

Bruser said another judge refered the girl to social services at an earlier court date.

"The referral didn't accomplish much," said Bruser.

"What I seem to have here is a hot potato that's been thrown around," he said.

The girl's mother stood up in court and said her daughter needs both a short term in custody and treatment. She asked social services for help before her daughter ended up in the justice system, she said. "It was not forthcoming."

But now she has met with social services and the department is arranging to send her daughter south for treatment.

"Something is being done but it's going to take time to be approved," she said.

Bruser questioned why there are no 'made in the North' programs for youth. Instead, young people are sent south for treatment, leaving their culture, friends, family and schools behind, he said.

"This problem has existed in this jurisdiction for as long as I've been here, since 1986," he said.

Bruser sentenced the girl to a month in custody and a month of supervision, along with 18 months of probation.