Background

The Forensic Task Force submitted position papers and provide consultation to government on issues related to prevention and treatment of young offenders and the importance of early intervention.

For example, A Report for the Strict Discipline Task Force, 1996, by Dr. Jalal Shamsie, contributes to the discussion of the needs of young people who have offended against the law, and presents the Sparrow Lake Alliance position on "Boot Camps" and "Multi-systemic Therapy". Dr. Shamsie is Director of the Institute for the Study of Antisocial Behaviour in Youth, and former Chair of the Forensic Task Force of the Sparrow Lake Alliance.

Under Dr. Jalal Shamsie the Task Force was working on three initiatives:

01		to co-sponsor workshops on anti-social youth in conjunction with the Institute for the Study of Antisocial Behaviour in Youth
02		to assist physicians and other professional groups to identify and better understand problem behaviours in young children, through workshops, brochures, etc.;
03		to give information sessions at child care centres and at conferences, to help parents and early childhood educators identify early signs of disruptive behaviour disorders.

Major Publications/Projects

Beginning in June, 1999, the Task Force reorganized under Co-chairs Sheena Scott and Bruce Ferguson. The Task Force is looking at the rights of children and youth in the justice system. For example, a paper entitled Delinquency Update: Notes on Prevention, Management and Sentencing Strategies to Reduce Recidivism was put together for the Task Force in August 1999 by Deborah Chappel and Paul Steinhauer.

Also, the Task Force has developed a paper which represents the position of the Sparrow Lake Alliance on the Youth Criminal Justice Act entitled Concerns Arising Out of the Proposed Youth Criminal Justice Act. The working draft of this document, with introductory comments, was presented to The Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights on February 8, 2000.