NCJ Number
45566
Journal
CRIME ET/AND JUSTICE Volume: 5 Issue: 2 Dated: (AUGUST 1977) Pages: 118-125
Date Published
1977
Length
8 pages
Annotation
A SAMPLE OF 10,368 COURT RECORDS FROM 9 JURISDICTIONS WERE STUDIED TO ASSESS THE ROLE OF DRUG AND ALCOHOL-RELATED BEHAVIOR IN CANADA'S JUVENILE JUSTICE PROCEEDINGS.
Abstract
FEW RELIABLE STATISTICS ARE AVAILABLE FOR DRUG AND ALCOHOL USE AMONG JUVENILES IN CANADA. A STRIKING FEATURE OF OFFICIAL DATA GATHERED BY STATISTICS CANADA IS THE LOW NUMBER OF DRUG-RELATED CHARGES. IN ONTARIO DRUG CHARGES ACCOUNTED FOR .36 PERCENT OF ALL JUVENILE PROCEEDINGS IN 1968, ROSE TO 2.04 PERCENT IN 1973. ALCOHOL CHARGES ACCOUNTED FOR 6.1 PERCENT AND 8.6 PERCENT RESPECTIVELY. A SAMPLE OF 10,368 COURT RECORDS FROM NINE JURISDICTIONS IN SOURTHERN ONTARIO FROM THE PERIOD 1972 TO MID-1975 WERE STUDIED TO DETERMINE THE NATURE OF DRUG AND ALCOHOL CHARGES BROUGHT AND THE RELATIONSHIP OF DRUG USE TO OTHER DELINQUENCY CHARGES. IN ADDITION, 90 CASES WERE OBSERVED DIRECTLY TO STUDY INTERACTION BETWEEN COURT PERSONNEL AND THE JUVENILE WHEN DRUG INVOLVEMENT WAS FOUND. THE SURVEY OF RECORDS FOUND THE PROPORTION OF DRUG AND ALCOHOL CHARGES TO BE SIMILAR TO THE OFFICIAL DATA FROM STATISTICS CANADA. DRUG CHARGES ACCOUNTED FOR 1.7 PERCENT OF CASES IN 1972 AND 1973, JUMPING TO 3.3 PERCENT IN 1974 AND 3.1 PERCENT IN 1975. ALCOHOL CHARGES FOR THE FOUR YEARS WERE 3.2 PERCENT, 7.9 PERCENT (1973), 5.8 PERCENT, AND 7.6 PERCENT (1975). IN THE 90 OBSERVED CASES ALCOHOL USE WAS INTRODUCED 13 TIMES AND DRUG USE 9 TIMES. IN CONTRAST, PRIOR POLICE RECORDS, PRIOR CONTACTS WITH THE POLICE, AND BEHAVIOR AT HOME OR SCHOOL WERE BROUGHT UP 30 TO 49 TIMES. THE REFERENCES WERE USUALLY CASUAL AND OFTEN DENIED DRUG USE WHILE IMPLICATING A FRIEND. OF THE 12 CASES IN WHICH DRUG OR ALCOHOL USE WAS MENTIONED AS PART OF THE PROCEEDINGS, ALL OF THE DRUG-MENTION CASES AND ALL BUT ONE OF THE ALCOHOL-MENTION CASES RECEIVED THE 'MEDIUM SEVERITY' SENTENCE FOR THE PARTICULAR OFFENSE IN QUESTION. ONLY ONE RECEIVED A SUSPENDED SENTENCE. A SURVEY OF THE DRUG CHARGES IN THE LARGER SAMPLE FOUND THAT 44.9 PERCENT OF THOSE CHARGED WITH ILLEGAL POSSESSION OF A DRUG AND 40 PERCENT OF THOSE CHARGED WITH TRAFFICKING OR IMPORTING DRUGS RECEIVED SUSPENDED SENTENCES. SENTENCES FOR POSSESSION DID NOT DIFFER MARKEDLY FROM SENTENCES FOR DISTRIBUTION. SINCE OTHER SURVEYS INDICATE THAT DRUG AND ALCOHOL USE AMONG JUVENILES IN CANADA IS HIGH, THE LOW INCIDENCE OF SUCH CHARGES IS PUZZLING. IT IS SUGGESTED THAT OTHER COMMUNITY RESPONSES ARE BEING MOBILIZED TO DEAL WITH THE PROBLEM. JUVENILE COURT MAY NOT BE SEEN AS THE MOST APPROPRIATE RESOURCE BY THOSE COMING INTO CONTACT WITH YOUNG PEOPLE USING DRUGS OR ALCOHOL. (GLR)