Court Streamlining Benefits Nova Scotia's Youth

Young people in the Halifax region (HRM) and in the Cape Breton Regional Municipality (CBRM) who appear in court will now go to a courtroom specially set aside for youths ages 12 to 17 in the Provincial Court in each of those communities.

The courtroom consolidation, which comes into effect today, Dec. 1, means youth aged 12 to 15 will no longer have their cases heard in the Family Division of the Supreme Court.

"A dedicated youth court is a real advantage," said Justice Minister Michael Baker. "It also means the Family Division of the Supreme Court can now more appropriately focus on family matters, not criminal cases."

At the Halifax courthouse on Spring Garden Road, the move to a specialized youth court required renovations to courtroom number five, the construction of three new holding cells, upgrades to two other cells, new interview rooms and a new waiting room for youth only. Improvements were also made to the ventilation system. Total costs are estimated at $225,000. In Sydney, where all courts operate in the Sydney Justice Centre, no renovations were required.

In rural areas outside HRM and CBRM, youths from 16 to 17 will continue to appear in Provincial Court, while youths aged 12 to 15 will attend Family Court.

In a typical year, nearly 3,000 youth cases are brought before the courts in Nova Scotia. On April 1, 2003, the federal government's new Youth Criminal Justice Act took effect, replacing the Young Offender's Act. The new legislation is based on the principle of keeping young offenders separate from adults.

"Nova Scotia is known as a safe place to live and raise a family," said Mr. Baker. "New approaches to help our young people avoid future confrontations can only be seen as positive."

The court services division of the Department of Justice provides administrative and operational support to all the courts of Nova Scotia. It also manages the restorative justice and maintenance enforcement programs and provides services to help families reduce conflict and litigation in legal disputes.

For more information on the courts of Nova Scotia, see the website at www.courts.ns.ca .