An in-depth look at how underused youth justice resources could better serve vulnerable young people in BC.
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This report finds that a dramatic drop in the number of youth committing crimes and being sentenced to custody over the last 20 years has resulted in a gross under-utilization of scarce resources at the Ministry of Children and Family Development (MCFD).
The report data shows that the 2022/23 average community caseload of 808 was less than half of what it was 10 years earlier and less than a quarter of what it was 20 years earlier.
The average daily population of 15 youth in custody is less than one-fifth of what it was a decade ago. The downside of this, however, is that government has not yet repurposed the surplus resources that are no longer needed, resulting in what can only be characterized as a squandering of taxpayer dollars, leaving too many young people with other needs completely under-served. This has to change.
– Dr. Jennifer Charlesworth, Representative for Children and Youth
From Custody to Care
Missed Opportunities: A Review of the Use of Youth Justice Resources examines how dramatic declines in youth crime and custody over the past two decades have left many Ministry of Children and Family Development (MCFD) youth justice services underused, while other vital areas remain under-resourced. The Representative for Children and Youth calls on government to reallocate these resources to better meet the needs of young people, particularly Indigenous youth, through prevention, community-based, and culturally grounded supports.
RCY highlights a pivotal opportunity to make smarter, fairer use of public funds and improve outcomes for children and youth across B.C.
In 2021/22, only
of the 531 cases sentenced in B.C. youth justice courts resulted in a custodial sentence, with the remainder (95 per cent) receiving a non-custodial sentence such as probation supervision.
In 2022/23,
of the youth in custody and 41 per cent of those under community youth justice supervision in B.C. were Indigenous.
Key Systemic Themes
The report calls for government to repurpose excess youth justice funding and capacity toward unmet needs in child welfare, mental health, and disability support services. It calls for a shift toward preventive and rights-based change for young people across the province.
Recommendations at a Glance
Review and Redeploy Youth Justice Resources
- MCFD, in collaboration with youth, the First Nations and Métis Justice Councils, and ministry partners, should review the underutilization of youth justice services and implement a plan to redeploy resources to better meet the needs of young people.
