Minister announces restructuring of youth correctional facility

Justice Minister Kelvin Parsons announced today government�s intention to decommission the Pleasantville Youth Centre.

"Changing demographics, anticipated impacts of the new Youth Criminal Justice Act, new programs being established in the community and decreasing incarceration rates are all factors that have contributed to the decision to decommission the Pleasantville Youth Centre, replacing that operation with a smaller, limited use overnight detention facility," said Minister Parsons.

Decommissioning of the Pleasantville Youth Centre will begin in September. A new youth overnight detention facility will be constructed in the next year as part of the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary Headquarters in St. John�s. In the interim, the Pleasantville facility will continue to serve as a youth holding facility

"The decision to close the Pleasantville Youth Centre is based in part on a consultant�s report, prepared by the Institute of the Advancement of Public Policy, which determined that there is no demonstrated need for additional youth detention capacity in the province," said Minister Parsons.

"The 60-bed Newfoundland and Labrador Youth Centre at Whitbourne has ample capacity for the detention of young persons remanded and/or sentenced by youth courts in the province," said the minister, "and, in the context of a declining provincial youth population, will continue to meet the demand in the foreseeable future."

Savings realized from the decommissioning of the Pleasantville facility will be reinvested in programs which will assist young offenders in more effectively integrating into the community.

In addition, some savings will be redirected to enhance the sheriff�s escort and holding facilities for young offenders.

"I believe the decision to close this facility is prudent and responsible, given the decline in young offender populations," said Minister Parsons. "Savings from this restructuring can be redeployed to enhance other priority areas."

  Fact Sheet - Youth Secure Custody Facilities
  Average Resident Count - Newfoundland and Labrador Youth Center
  Projected Youth Population: Ages 12-17 Inclusive Newfoundland and Labrador 1996-2000

Media contact: Lynn Barter, Communications, (709) 729-0084.

2001 07 05                                                         11:55 a.m.