REPORT TO COUNCIL

FAMILY COURT/YOUTH JUSTICE COMMITTEE

NOVEMBER 1, 1999

INFORMATION

1. Annual Report File No. 3118-1

The Family Court/Youth Justice Committee is appointed by Vancouver City Council under the auspices of the Provincial Court Act and the Young Offenders Act . A list of the current members is attached.

The Committee's mandate is:

· to consider and examine the resources in the community for family and children's work and young offenders;
· to assist the court, when requested, in individual cases referred to the Committee;
· to make recommendations to the Court, the Attorney General, City Council or to others, as required.

This annual report covers the period December 1, 1998 to November 1, 1999.

Guest Presenters

Names of Presenters	Subject
Brian Porter, Director, and Janet Henchey, Senior Counsel, Federal Prosecution Service, BC Region	Drug Courts (possible pilot project for the Lower Mainland)
Vancouver Police Constables Toby Hinton and Len Hollingsworth, Odd Squad Productions	Drug Use in the Downtown Eastside
Stuart Rennie, Legislation and Law Reform Officer, Canadian Bar Association	Bill C-68 - Youth Criminal Justice Act proposed to replace Young Offenders Act (not yet proclaimed)

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Significant Activities

Committee members attended:

· Vancouver Coalition for Children and Youth Conference on Sexually Exploited Youth;
· Aboriginal Day;
· forums sponsored by the Vancouver Coalition for Crime Prevention and Drug Treatment.

A Committee representative was scheduled to attend the Provincial Conference of Family Court and Youth Justice Committees of BC; however, this event was cancelled due to lack of enrollment. The Committee regrets the lack of Provincially-funded resources, such as a Coordinator position, to facilitate such efforts.

Significant Topics

Following are significant topics arising during the period of this annual report:

· follow-up on the Street-Involved Youth Forum through the Street Youth Implementation Committee, including meetings with the Chief Constable on the issue of youth/police relations;
· submission made to Vancouver Police Board on its Interim Drug Policy;
· participation in the review of the Child and Youth Advocate position;
· new detox beds for the Lower Mainland announced by the Ministry for Children and Families (copies of correspondence between the Committee and the Ministry were previously circulated for Council's information);
· the previously referenced presentations on Drug Courts, drug use in the Downtown Eastside and Bill C-68.

If Council members would like further information on any of these topics, the Committee would be pleased to provide it.

Resolutions Forwarded to Council

At the July 29, 1999 Standing Committee on Planning and Environment meeting, the Family Court/Youth Justice Committee submitted a report dated July 28, 1999 (on file). The Committee recommended that Council defer the matter of the Child and Youth Advocate position to provide adequate time for notification and response by a wider group of stakeholders. Should Council not approve the deferral recommendation, the Committee recommended that children and youth having a strong voice in the City be supported, and therefore, that City Council maintain the position of Child and Youth Advocate.

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Council chose, instead, to approve the City Manager's recommendation to change the position of independent Child & Youth Advocate to a full time position within Social Planning, focussed on Youth and Children’s issues. The Committee's report was received for information.

Future Directions

The Committee expects to pursue the following during 2000, subject to any direction which Council may wish to provide:

· sexual exploitation of children and youth;
· relations between youth and Vancouver Police Department;
· impact of HIV/AIDS on young people (including needle exchange);
· implementation of the proposed Youth Criminal Justice Act, once proclaimed, including any provision for youth diversion programs ;
· the issue of secure custody, including the Burnaby Secure Custody Centre;
· sponsorship of a Forum on Civil Rights for young people;
· preparation of a formal Mandate and Objectives for submission to City Council and the Attorney General;
· participation in the review of potential Drug Courts in Vancouver.

The Committee has no aboriginal or street-involved youth members. When appointments are made for the coming term, it would be useful for the Committee to obtain expertise in these areas. Committee members will encourage suitable candidates to put their names forward for Council's consideration.

Respectfully submitted,

Sev Araujo Co-Chair

Anthony Williams Co-Chair

CITY MANAGER'S COMMENTS

The City Manager submits the foregoing for INFORMATION.

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Family Court/Youth Justice Committee
1999 Membership

Sev Araujo, Co-Chair
Franca Bassanese
Andrea M. Daley
Minh Doan
Honorée Findlay
Sadie Kuehn
Todd Manuel
Jean Moore
Carol Mouat
Shou Sim
John Turvey (Resigned)
Joe Yuefang Wang
Anthony Williams, Co-Chair
Patricia Yun

(c) 1998 City of Vancouver