 |
 |
|
|||||
 |
 |
||||||
 |
|||||||
 |
|||||||
 |
 |
||||||
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|||
 |
|||||||
|
|
|
|
|||||
|
|
|
||||||
|
|
|||||||
|
|
|||||||
|
|
|
||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||
|
|
|||||||
 |
School
boards applaud youth justice bill, express concern about information sharing
CANADIAN SCHOOL BOARDS ASSOCIATION
MEDIA RELEASE February 5, 2001, For Immediate Release (OTTAWA) The Canadian School Boards Association today congratulated Justice Minister Anne McLellan on her dedication to reforming the youth justice system in Canada. "The Government's commitment to balancing the needs of young offenders and their communities is commendable," said Kathy LeGrow, President of CSBA. "The new approach to youth justice differentiates between violent and non-violent offenders. This is a huge step towards building a better justice system." While supportive of the overall direction that the Government is taking, LeGrow expressed some concerns about how and when information is shared with school boards. "Most young offenders are of school age," said LeGrow. "Schools and boards need to have information provided to them when a student is present in the school." The Youth Criminal Justice Act (YCJA) and its predecessor, the Young Offenders Act, both allow but do not require the sharing of information with school officials. The YCJA acknowledges the important role that schools and school boards play in the reintegration and rehabilitation of offenders. "School official's hands are tied," LeGrow stated. "Our research shows that in many situations, the necessary information is not being shared, and schools are in the dark. We want to work together with the youth justice system in a responsible manner, but unless information sharing is required, it is difficult to work as partners." CSBA has published and circulated to school boards new guidelines for information sharing. The Need to Know is intended to ensure that school boards receive the information they require, recognizing and accepting the responsibilities of confidentiality to go with disclosure. "School boards are willing to do their part," LeGrow indicated. "However, without an effective information sharing process, that role cannot be fulfilled. The Canadian School Boards Association is the national voice of school boards. It is comprised of nine provincial school board associations representing over 400 school boards and serving more than four million elementary and secondary school students. - 30 - For information:
|
