Letter from Minister S. Cadieux re: Closure of Victoria Youth Custody Centre

June 4, 2014

Elena Bolster Deputy Municipal Clerk Town of View Royal 45 View Royal Ave Victoria BC V9B 1A6

Dear Ms. Bolster:

Thank you for your letter of May 15, 2014, regarding the recent announcement to close the Victoria Youth Custody Centre.

As you may be aware, British Columbia has one of the lowest youth custody rates in Canada. These rates have consistently declined in the past ten years, from an average of 220 youth in custody in 2003, to an average of just 74 this past fiscal year. In the past year, British Columbia’s youth custody centres have only been operating at an average capacity of just 56 percent.

In the case of Victoria specifically, the average count for the last fiscal year was 15 youth per day. The count January to March 2014 inclusive was 11 (for 25 percent of this time period, there were less than ten youth per day). While British Columbia’s low custody rates are, without question, a success story, it is difficult to maintain quality programming up to the Ministry of Children and Family Development’s high standards when delivering services below a capacity level.

The decision to close the centre is based on a consistent, dramatic decline in the numbers of youth in custody overall, and does not, in any way, reflect the quality of the work being delivered by facility staff and service providers.

The ministry continues to focus on, and is engaged in, initiatives to improve planning, co-ordinated supports and the use of existing services to support youth accessing custody services today.

All custody centres in British Columbia offer common programs and services based on best practice approaches to address the profile of youth in custody such as: use of Therapeutic Crisis Intervention, school support, alcohol and addictions counseling, on-site health care support services, access to mental health services, advocacy support and a continued focus on family and community engagement.

Family visitation programs are essential and will continue to be supported through family orientation processes, technology enhancements, regular telephone contact, and the expansion of the family visitation program. Custody staff and service providers will continue to work with families to address the associated barriers to visitation and, from the point of the youth’s admission, encourage involvement in planning for the youth’s time in custody and transition back to the community.

Appropriate release supports are provided by all Youth Custody centres to return youth to their home community, consistent with pre-arranged release planning. Youth released from custody have community transition plans and are provided transportation, under appropriate adult supervision as required, to ensure safe, timely transitions.

Meanwhile, ministry goals continue to be the delivery of high quality services which focus on rehabilitation and reintegration.

Thank you again for writing about this important matter. I appreciate the opportunity to respond.

Sincerely,

Stephanie Cadieux Minister