The RCMP Youth Strategy: Making kids a national priority

Source: (2000) Subject title and focus of vol. 62 (4) of Gazette: A Royal Canadian Mounted Police Publication.

This issue of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police’s publication Gazette contains a variety of articles focused on prevention of youth crime and victimization. The perceptions of many Canadians are that youth crime is increasing and that the justice system is too soft on youth crime – despite the facts that youth crime in Canada is declining and Canada has the third highest rate of youth incarceration in the Western world. Nevertheless, the involvement of youth in crime is significant. Hence, the RCMP, in keeping with Federal Government priorities, decided in 1999 to identify youth as a priority. The aims of the RCMP’s strategy are to deal effectively with youth who offend and to reduce youth involvement in crime as offenders and victims. This particular issue of the Gazette then presents many articles highlighting various facets of the RCMP’s efforts at reduction and prevention of youth crime and victimization.