Government Funds Drug Treatment Project for Youth in Conflict With the Law

MONCTON, NEW BRUNSWICK--(Marketwired - Jan. 24, 2014) - Justice Canada

Today, on behalf of the Minister of Justice, Peter MacKay, Robert Goguen, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister, announced $100,000 in funding to support a project that will train front-line community workers and criminal justice personnel from across New Brunswick on effective, efficient and timely substance abuse treatment strategies for youth involved in the criminal justice system.

This funding is one of the latest federal government actions taken under the National Anti-Drug Strategy, which focuses on prevention and access to treatment for those with drug dependencies, while getting tough on drug dealers and producers who threaten the safety of our youth and communities.

Quick Facts

• This project, which is led by the New Brunswick Department of Public Safety, Crime Prevention and Reduction, will increase the capacity of front-line community workers and criminal justice personnel to:
  
  
  • assess the risks and needs of youth in conflict with the law, including assessment of substance abuse issues;
    
    
  • develop effective youth intervention plans; and
    
    
  • deliver drug treatment programming.
    
    
• The benefits of this project will be improved collaboration among community and criminal justice personnel, improved efficiencies and use of justice system resources and, most importantly, improved outcomes for youth involved with the justice system. New Brunswick policing agencies, the court system, correctional system, youth and communities at large will benefit from this project.
  
  
• The funding is being provided through the Youth Justice Fund in support of the National Anti-Drug Strategy.
  
  

Quotes

"Our Government will continue to invest in crime prevention programs. We are very proud of the innovative work done with our partners under the National Anti-Drug Strategy to help rehabilitate youth in conflict with the law who have substance abuse issues".

-Robert Goguen, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Justice

"Through our Government's Treatment Action Plan, we are effectively responding to the root causes of youth crime. Our Government is committed to these important initiatives, which encourage youth to contribute positively and productively to society. As leaders of tomorrow, they can help us keep our streets and communities safe".

-Peter MacKay, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada

"The Government of New Brunswick is dedicated to improving approaches to youth in conflict with the law. Equipping and training criminal justice personnel is an important step to helping the province get closer to our goal of becoming a world leader in crime prevention and reduction."

-Bruce Northrup, Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General of New Brunswick

Related Products

Backgrounder: Youth Justice Fund

Backgrounder: National Anti-Drug Strategy

Associated Links

Department of Justice: Youth Justice Fund

National Anti-Drug Strategy

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Backgrounder

Youth Justice Fund

The Youth Justice Fund was established in 1999 as part of the Youth Justice Renewal Initiative, and provides grants and contributions funding for projects across Canada. The Youth Justice Fund has a budget of approximately $4.5 million each year.

The Youth Justice Fund has three components:

• The Main Fund supports a broad range of projects relating to youth involved in the justice system. Current funding priorities include youth with mental health issues and/or cognitive impairments such as Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder. The Main Fund can also provide support to respond to emerging youth justice issues.
  
  
• The Drug Treatment component supports drug treatment interventions for youth involved in the justice system who are dealing with drug abuse.
  
  
• The Guns, Gangs and Drugs component responds to youth involved in the justice system who are involved in, or vulnerable to, gun-, gang- and drug-related activities.
  
  

The Youth Justice Initiative is a multi-faceted approach that includes a legislative framework (the Youth Criminal Justice Act) and programming resources that:

• Encourage a more fair and effective youth justice system;
  
  
• Respond to emerging youth justice issues; and
  
  
• Enable greater citizen/community participation in the youth justice system by encouraging partnerships and innovations, and developing and sharing information and knowledge about youth justice.
  
  

Community organizations, Aboriginal organizations, and individuals have been, and will continue to be, eligible for funding to help develop community-based programming options and partnerships that respond more effectively and in a more meaningful manner to youth in conflict with the law. Funding support is also used to advance changes in provincial/territorial policies and programs that are consistent with the intent of federal policy objectives.

The Youth Justice Fund supports the development, implementation, and evaluation of pilot projects that provide programming and services for youth in conflict with the law. It supports professional development activities, such as training and conferences, for justice professionals and youth service providers. Additionally, it funds research on the youth justice system and related issues.

Projects must target youth who are between the ages of 12 and 17 and currently in conflict with the law, or justice professionals and/or service providers who work with these youth.

To learn more about the Youth Justice Fund, please visit www.canada.justice.gc.ca/youth.

Backgrounder

NATIONAL ANTI-DRUG STRATEGY

The National Anti-Drug Strategy was launched in October 2007. Through the Strategy, the Government of Canada contributes to safer and healthier communities through coordinated efforts to prevent use, treat dependency and reduce production and distribution of illicit drugs.

The Strategy is a horizontal initiative, led by the Department of Justice Canada in collaboration with 11 partner federal departments and agencies. It is carried out under three action plans:

• The Prevention Action Plan, which aims to prevent illicit drug use;

• The Treatment Action Plan, which aims to treat those with drug dependencies; and

• The Enforcement Action Plan, which aims to combat the production and distribution of illicit drugs.

Prevention Action Plan

The Prevention Action Plan focuses on preventing illicit drug use among youth. It provides information to those most affected by drug use, including parents, young people, educators, law enforcement authorities, and communities.

The Prevention Action Plan:

• Funds the development and implementation of community-based interventions and initiatives to prevent illicit drug use among youth;

• Discourages illicit drug use by providing information directly to youth through the DrugsNot4Me website and Facebook page as well as to their parents and other concerned adults through the website www.nationalantidrugstrategy.gc.ca; and

• Supports development of awareness materials and provision of awareness sessions to school-age youth, parents, professionals, and other community members.

Treatment Action Plan

The Treatment Action Plan supports innovative approaches to treating and rehabilitating those with illicit drug addiction.

The Treatment Action Plan:

• Supports efforts to improve treatment systems, programs and services to address illicit drug dependency for at-risk youth and for drug users in high-needs areas;

• Enhances treatment and support for First Nations and Inuit;

• Supports treatment programs for youth in the justice system with drug-related problems;

• Provides support for the use of drug treatment courts, which offer an alternative to the traditional justice system for offenders who have committed non-violent crimes motivated by their addictions; and

• Supports research on new treatment models and on the consequences of illicit drug use.

Enforcement Action Plan

The Enforcement Action Plan increases law enforcement's capacity to proactively target organized crime involvement in illicit drug production and distribution operations. It also enhances the capacity of the criminal justice system to investigate, interdict and prosecute offenders.

The Enforcement Action Plan:

• Provides funding to the RCMP to expand its efforts to help locate, investigate and shut down organizations involved in the production and distribution of illicit drugs;

• Gives additional resources to the Public Prosecution Service of Canada to provide legal advice to law enforcement at the investigative stage and to effectively prosecute those involved with the production and distribution of illicit drugs;

• Increases the number of Health Canada inspectors and investigators to ensure accurate and timely analysis of suspected illicit drugs seized by law enforcement;

• Increases the capacity of Canada Border Service Agency to inhibit the cross-border movement of precursor chemicals and illicit drugs;

• Helps law enforcement stop the flow of money that organized crime makes from the illicit drug trade;

• Improves the ability of Canadian law enforcement officials to conduct joint investigations with their United States counterparts; and

• Ensures that serious penalties are in place for serious drug crimes.