B.C. urged to redeploy justice resources after report finds 11 staff for every youth

By Chuck Chiang in Vancouver Canadian Press VICTORIA- The number of incarcerated young offenders in British Columbia has fallen so dramatically that the province needs to come up with a plan to reallocate resources to avoid waste, a report released Thursday says. The report from the office of Jennifer Charlesworth, B.C.’s representative for children and youth, says the average daily number of youth in custody in the province has fallen from 386 in 1997/1998 to as low as 11 in 2021/2022. The “dramatically decreased” figures meant there were 11 staff for every youth in custody at dedicated facilities. “So, what is called for here is a redeployment of excess capacity in the youth justice system to other areas that are desperately wanting,” Charlesworth said at a news conference announcing the…

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