In one of the comments raised yesterday, Mr. Pudlat also pointed to the great length of time that people who are charged and who are being brought before the courts have to wait. We didn't specifically discuss, yesterday, the effect that has on young offenders. In many cases, when we talk about young offenders, these are people between 12 and 18. We're primarily looking at young men who are going through tremendous change, physically and emotionally, and people who often feel that nobody really understands them. The stress of having to wait for decisions to be made about their life and the way they seem to be inadvertently forgotten in the ongoing machinery of justice, is probably different for adult offenders as opposed to the youth. I think it's something for us, in the Department of Justice, to look at to see if there isn't something that could be done in recognition of that difference. So that's an excellent comment to bring up.
Stephen Kakfwi on Bill 1: Appropriation Act, No. 2, 1994-95
In the Legislative Assembly on March 18th, 1994. See this statement in context.
Bill 1: Appropriation Act, No. 2, 1994-95
Item 18: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
March 17th, 1994
Page 707
See context to find out what was said next.