While I am not in favour of increasing youth sentencing generally -- specific cases sure but just raising penalties no -- keeping track of high-risk offenders and people with serious criminal histories is a very good idea.
The Globe and Mail
Mon 11 Aug 2008
Page: A5
Section: National News
Byline: Daniel Leblanc
Dateline: OTTAWA
Source: With a report from The Canadian Press
OTTAWA -- The Harper government will launch a series of criminal justice initiatives this morning with a promise to increase the tracking of dangerous criminals after their release from jail, government officials said yesterday.
Public Safety Minister Stockwell Day plans to announce a new program to deal with some of the country's most dangerous federal inmates at stops today in Toronto and Halifax.
Federal officials refused to provide details on the new program, except to say the goal is to improve the "monitoring of high-risk offenders."
Officials said Mr. Day will make further law-and-order announcements in the fall as he enacts a number of recommendations made by federal adviser Rob Sampson in December. After studying Canada's prisons, Mr. Sampson called on the government to clamp down on drugs in jail and get more inmates working steady jobs inside the prison system.
In an interview with The Canadian Press, Justice Minister Rob Nicholson also promised to introduce legislation before the end of the year to toughen sentences for youths convicted of serious crimes.
The Conservatives promised in the past election campaign to change the Youth Criminal Justice Act to make it mandatory for anyone over the age of 14 to be sentenced as an adult for serious offences such as murder, manslaughter and aggravated sexual assault.
"It's part of the government's overall crime-fighting strategy," Mr. Nicholson said. "We're absolutely committed to this; it's one of the focal points of this government."
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