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Downtown Community Court Canadian Criminal Justice Association CONGRESS 2009 Halifax, Nova Scotia October 30, 2009 Honourable Judge Tom Gove Provincial Court of British Columbia Vancouver, British Columbia Why was a Community Court Needed? • Street Crime Working Group • Problem-solving approach • Offender profile: – 50% suffer from mental disorder and/or substance abuse – Many effectively homeless – Overlap of clients and service providers Problem-solving Court • Judiciary can’t solve problem alone • Problem-solving approach to address root causes of criminal behaviour • Integrated teams to assess, plan, case manage offenders • Hold offenders accountable in timely way – appear in days, not months • Create new opportunities for community participation in the criminal justice system Court relates to a specific Community • Identify what is important to the community • Ongoing dialogue with community representatives – Advisory Council • Offenders repay community through work • Partnerships with business associations, residents associations, service providers, church groups, etc. to create meaningful work and other opportunities for offenders Geographic Area • 2,000 accused in first year • 30 – 60 each day • 70% of downtown crime including: – theft – car break ins – assaults – possess drug Agencies at Community Court • Provincial Court of British Columbia Judiciary • AG: Crown, Sheriffs, Clerks • Sol Gen: Probation Officers, Victim Services • Vancouver Police • Housing • Social Development (Income Assistance) • Vancouver Coastal Health Authority • Forensic Psychiatric Services • Legal Aid: Staff and Roster Defense Lawyers • Native Court worker • City of Vancouver • Federal Prosecution Services Triage Team Collect information starting at 7 am • Probation Officer • Forensic Psychiatric Nurse • Vancouver Coastal Health Nurse Additional information sought from: • Vancouver Police Officer • Native Court Worker • Income Assistance Worker • Housing Support Worker • Victim Services Worker • Forensic Psychiatrist is available Meet with Crown and Defense Counsel Triage - Follow up options Accused must consent to interviews for brief intake assessments by: • Psychiatric Nurse – metal health • Nurse - addiction • Probation Officer • Native Court Worker Outcome of Triage Assessment • • • • Alternate measures – 18% of cases Mentally Disordered Offenders Appropriate for Case Management Team Information to proceed with sentencing • Crown and Defense obtain information about offender – reduces delays Different procedures in court – Courtroom layout – more like a circle – Offenders sit with defense lawyer - are encouraged to participate in discussing their sentence – Victims are encourage to attend and participate – assisted by Victim Support Worker – Offenders approach judges’ bench where orders are signed – Offenders released from the courtroom – Staff take offenders directly from courtroom to workers in the building Range of Sentences Must be consistent with Criminal Code • Alternative measures • Diversion of Mentally Disordered Offenders • Fines • Probation • Conditional Sentence Orders • Incarceration – usually with probation to follow Typical community sentences Bail, Probation or Conditional Sentence: • Report to probation officer or supervisor – Community corrections offices – Specialized integrated offices – DCC Case Management Teams • Attend counseling (broadly defined) • Community services – through DCC • Area restrictions Case Management Teams 2 Teams manage 150 offenders – Probation Officers – Health Justice Liaison Workers – Income Assistance Worker Shared Support for both teams - Vancouver Police Officer – VPD specialty units (Chronic Offender) – Housing Worker – Native Court Worker – Victim Support Worker – System Negotiator Work with existing specialized programs Community Service Most offenders on Alternate Measures or serving a community sentence perform a number of hours of Community Service: • Repay the effected community for harm • Served in the community • Often begin the same day • Relatively short number of hours (2 – 20) Two streams • Street work crews (2) • Placement in 24 agencies with opportunity to link the offender to services (e.g., health, housing, income and employment) Informational Sessions Most offenders on Alternate Measures or serving a Community Sentence attend informational Sessions • Health information sessions • Alcohol and drug counseling • Specific Aboriginal groups • Money skills • Shoplifters Program • Crime and Consequences • Wellness Program • Other – Flower arranging support group – Will develop as needed Evaluation • SFU Criminology • Analysis of how Community Court is doing • What we learn from DCC will inform Courts throughout the Province How are we doing? First year: September 10, 2008 – September 2009 • • • • • 2,111 offenders 250 Alternate Measures 945 completed Community Services: 7,664 hours 674 attended Health Information Sessions 254 placed into Housing Vancouver Police Department Street disorder (such as assaults & open drug use) • February 2008: 1720 • February 2009: 1216 – 30% reduction