NCJ Number
59009
Journal
CRIME ET/AND JUSTICE Volume: 6 Issue: 3 Dated: (1978) Pages: 165-169
Date Published
1978
Length
5 pages
Annotation
A REVIEW OF MONTREAL, QUEBEC, POLICE AND COURT DATA FOR THE PERIOD 1965 TO 1976 FINDS THAT MORE JUVENILES WERE DIVERTED FROM THE COURT SYSTEM IN THE 1960'S BEFORE DIVERSION BECAME A POPULAR PHILOSOPHY.
Abstract
DURING THE PERIOD 1965 TO 1966 MONTREAL'S POLICE HAD A TRADITIONAL CONCEPT OF JUVENILE CRIME, PUNISHING SERIOUS CASES AND RELEASING NONSERIOUS CASES TO THEIR PARENTS. DURING THESE 2 YEARS, 36.55 PERCENT OF ALL JUVENILE OFFENDERS WERE DIVERTED, USUALLY THROUGH RELEASE TO PARENTS OR A GUARDIAN. DURING THE PERIOD 1968 THROUGH 1970, A SOCIAL WORK ORIENTATION PERMEATED THE POLICE FORCE. DIVERSION, AGAIN MOSTLY TO PARENTS OR FOSTER CARE, DROPPED TO ABOUT 30.54 PERCENT. THIS MAY BE DUE TO THE FACT THAT JUVENILE CRIME BEGAN TO CHANGE DRAMATICALLY. NOT ONLY DID THE NUMBER OF CASES INCREASE, THE INCIDENTS BECAME MORE SERIOUS. BY 1974 TO 1976 THIS CHANGE HAD FORCED THE POLICE AWAY FROM A SOCIAL SERVICES APPROACH BACK TO A TRADITIONAL CRIME-FIGHTING STANCE. MURDERS BY JUVENILES INCREASED FROM 4 IN 1966 TO 12 IN 1976; ASSAULTS FROM 168 TO 442; ROBBERIES FROM 110 TO 488; BREAKING AND ENTERING, 595 TO 2,102; CAR THEFT, 574 TO 1,254; AND THEFT FROM 1,411 TO 2,770. IN SPITE OF THIS CHANGE, DIVERSION WAS STILL ESPOUSED AS A GOAL. HOWEVER, THE ACTUAL NUMBER OF CASES DIVERTED DROPPED TO 25.51 PERCENT. THIS 11 PERCENT DROP MAY BE DUE TO THE CHANGING NATURE OF JUVENILE CRIME OR TO THE GROWTH IN THE NUMBER OF COURT-RELATED PROGRAMS. DIVERSION WAS ALSO BEING USED MORE OFTEN FOR SERIOUS OFFENSES, LESS OFTEN FOR STATUS OFFENSES. DIVERSION FOR CRIMINAL OFFENSES WENT FROM 14 PERCENT IN 1966 TO 28 PERCENT IN 1976. A SERIES OF TABLES PRESENT THE DATA. REFERENCES ARE APPENDED. (GLR)