Nuestioni

ONDITIONAL
ntences were foisted
an unsuspecting and
meg eicaguered public as
mne of the last acts of
bemer federal Justice
nister Allan Rock.

B Ostensibly designed as a
Bcasure to provide an alter-
ative sentencing. measure for
b-called “minor” offences, it
Bow appears some judges are
pling out conditional sen-
mences like great heaps of
shristmas pudding. Never
Rind the offence, as long as
¢ judge sentences less than
wo years, suddenly the time
hn. be served in the commu-
ity and not in jail. In reality,
is just another way of say-
mg probation. -
om In a lead article in the
atarday Vancouver Sun, Kim
Sramcmberton reported many
Bistances of persons convicted
f various types of assaults,
cluding sexual assault,
ceiving conditional sen-
nces.-She cited examples
Ruch:as the case of Darren
rsel, the Langley man con-
icted of attacking a woman
mand sodomizing her with a
acquetball racquet. The
earned judge gave Ursel a
Bonditional sentence of two
Bcars less a day, claiming he
vas not a sufficient risk to
he community to put in jail.
Say what?
B.C. Attorney General
Ujjal Dosanjh promptly stood
last: week at the national
iin wag of attorneys general
in Montreal. He said he
vould be lobbying the feder-_

al government for changes to *
Criminal Code to.ensure ...

jolent offenders were not
; eligible for conditional sen-
tencing. The A.G. is right as
ain about that, but as usual,
he stops short and doesn’t .
Middress the real problem.
* Pemberton’s article
uched on the fact many
étiminals who receive condi-
ional sentences re-offend. In
a fact, in the first 11. months of
1997, almost 20% were back
in front of the courts prior to
the expiration of the original,
conditional sentence.
~ Judges are inappropriately
H applying conditional sen-
tences to people who si mply
don’t deserve any type o
@ break. ‘Take, for example, the
case of Frederick Dion Lewis,
one of North Vancouver’s

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crime and
punishment

stalwart criminal types.

Here’s a guy whose adult
criminal record goes back 11
years. Not bad tor someone
who is only 26 years old. His
record consists almost entire-
ly of burglary and related
offences. The longest sen-
tence he has ever received
during his life of crime was
18 months and thar was in
1990. His pattern in life is
clear; do a bunch of BKE’s,
get caught, do a little time,

get probation and start all

over again.

In 1996, he was convicted

“of B&E with intent. He was

sentenced to seven months
and nwo years probation. In a
perfect demonstration of the
absolute futility of probation
past the first or second con-
viction, this was the sixth
time the courts have imposed
a significant term of proba-

north shore news

VIEWEOINT

tion on Lewis. While on the
latest probation period, he
was again arrested while
breaking into another house
on Aug. 20, this summer.

Fast forward to Nev. 7
Sentencing day for Lewis.
Jail, you might suggest?
Hardly. Two ycars less a day
to be served conditionally in
the community. Apparently,
Judge Ellen Burdert didn’t
feel Lewis was a threat to the
public.

Despite his record stretch-
ing over every year since he
became an aduit. Despite the
fact that he has been on pro-
bation virtually every day
since he turned 17. Despite
the fact he makes his fiving
breaking into other people’s
houses, he got put nght back
into an unsuspecting commu-
nity.

To give the judge her duc,
she did tell Lewis to be a
good boy or he would be
brought back before the big,
bad court again. I suspect
Lewis was all aquiver over
that threat.

Realistically, 1 do believe
there is a time when the
courts should look ar alrerna-
tive sentencing methods to
prison. Frankly, jail is nothing

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more than a way of contain-
ing someone to protect soci-
ety from the ravages of that
individual. But the time to
consider things like diversion
and conditional sentencing is
carly on in the criminal
career. Before they have
become so entrenched in
their way of life there is no
option but to lack them up.
In utilizing alternative
sentencing though, it is
imperative that appropriate
programs are put in place and
followed through with the
utmost of diligence. Anything
less is simply allowing the
offenders to turn around and

Miailow

an ence eed

waned
yoriar nan

Shoarwhaaeett

Friday, December 12, 1997 — North Shore News — 7

laugh at a system incapable or
unable to control their anti-
social behavior.

As for Dosanjh, he should
lobby the federal justice min-
ister to change the law con-
cerning the application of
conditional sentences. But, he
should also stop taking the
politically expedient (for the
NDP) route and advocating
sweeping reforms bent at let-
ting criminals go home with a
spanking because there’s no
moncy to deal properly with
the habitual offenders.

Ips not just a matter of
being harsh with violent
offenders, as the A.G. would

have us believe. One of the
greatest problems we have is
with those who simply will
not change their behavior.

When the attorney general
turns his mind towards that
reality is when he should be
taken seriously, Until then, he
is just another political clown
in Glen Clark’s circus.

— The North Shore News
believes strongly in freedom of
speech and the right of ail sides
in a debate to be heard. The
columnists pudlished in the
News present differing points
of view, but those views are not
necessarily those of the newspa-

per itself.

een vances PEM PIR I SIC Aen yee ONAN nak a RE OA 9 he Ruane Rane gem I InN

Ammonia actions appreciated

We offer our sincere apologies to all the cit-

Dear Editor:

On Thursday, Nov. 27, the North
Vancouver Recreation Commission experi-
enced an ammonia leak at the Lonsdale
Recreation Centre.

The leak required us to evacuate the build-
ing just after 9 a.m. Approximately 300 of our
clients, many in fitness apparel, were warmly
welcomed at Silver Harbour Manor. As well,
the children trom Lonsdale elementary school,
who were downwind of the leaking gas, were
evacuated to our Delbrook Recreation Centre.
The upper portion of the Lonsdale city corri-
dor was closed for a couple of hours.

izens of North Vancouver who had their daily
patterns disrupted.

We would also like to express our thanks to
the staff and volunteers of Silver Harbour
Manor, the RCMP, the City Fire Department,
Emergency Social Services, City Staff, B.C.
Transit, North Shore Health, B.C. Ambulance,
Environment Canada, Lonsdale School and
our own staff, all of whom responded magnifi:
cently to the emergency situation.

Maureen Curtis
Chairman
North Vancouver Recreation Commission

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