by Barry Neufeld, Youth Probation Officer, MCFD Abbotsford

Hailed by some as a positive move for law and order, Bill 16 has been criticized by others for sending the wrong message to young people and unduly punishing families. In the North American context, Bill 16 represents an ongoing trend where youth crime is characterized as out of control, a family problem for which parents are to blame. All U.S. states have laws holding parents civilly liable for the acts of their children, and B.C. joins Manitoba and Ontario as Canadian provinces with similar laws. However, since 1988, 17 American states have passed laws imposing criminal liability on parents, with penalties including imprisonment. For example, Rhode Island and Texas have laws requiring parents to participate in their children’s community service, Idaho, Indiana and New Hampshire can compel parents to pay for their child’s incarceration, and Kentucky imposes the cost of a child’s adjudication on parents. Alabama fines parents who fail to ensure compliance with probation terms, and California can assess fines up to $2500 and a year in prison. Will Canadian province follow this trend of criminalizing parenting?

Proponents of these laws argue that youth crime originates in the family and the threat of liability encourages parents to deal with children’s behaviour. Parental liability is also promoted to give priority to the rights of victims. Opponents suggest that these laws are ineffective, unduly punish mainly poor and struggling families, and send the wrong message to young people.

In my research, these laws do not take account of the actual experience of parents, the reality of parenting in difficult circumstances, and the numerous factors influencing youth crime, all of which warrant deeper discussion. Bill 16 was a low-key election promise by the governing Liberals, but attracted very little attention and, as a result, little public awareness. Some issues that the public might have considered worthy of examination include the following:

Of course there is more to be said, but hopefully Probation officers, as informed participants in the justice process, will join the discussion when Bill 16 becomes an issue in their community.

Doug Hillian, PO, MSW

References:

Hillian, Douglas (2000) How the Parents of Boys Experience the Youth Justice System, University of Victoria Library.

McNaught, Andrew (1998) Parental Responsibility Legislation and Young Offenders, Ontario Legislative Library Research Services.

What a trip, 35 years of craziness. First of all I want to thank Chris for her support and patience. Even after all these years she can still take my breath away when she walks by. We have grown up together and will be celebrating our 32nd wedding anniversary on December 20. One of the reasons I got married was for the tax break not realising how much it costs to raise a family.

I would also like to thank the committee for organizing this function. I know they started meeting back in August. I really appreciate the efforts of Kirsten. She spearheaded the organizing committee. As most of you know Kirsten is following in my footsteps and I guess this is the ultimate compliment. A few years ago my nephew Jeremy was studying Criminology and considering Probation. At that point I asked Dave Buckley how I could discourage him and he said show him your cheque. Jeremy went to law school so I know Kirsten didn’t choose this profession for the money.

On the committee are some of my closest friends, Jack Duke, Mike White, Sandra Mercer, Trish Digby, Bill Yeung, Lewis Liu, Mia Mackoff, Tom Taylor, Emilio Godoy, and Kim Delowski. My other daughter Sandra and her husband Sean helped out with the invitations. Sandra’s time was restricted because she just started working as a schoolteacher. In a way she is also following in my footsteps because I always enjoyed the role of being a mentor. I would like to thank Jack Gillis, Dave Bahr, Gordie Hogg, and Mike White for trusting in me and providing me with special work opportunities.

In this room are people from every phase of my life. There are my relatives here who due to genetics are stuck with me. There are friends from my childhood; Keith Bracken and I were buddies in Elementary School, Fred and Ann Forester are my steadfast friends from Regina, Charlie Borodinski who I met at Brandon University. When I first started in social work in 1967 I went to Cranbrook with my co-worker Ann Gregoire who is here.

When I started at Family Court at Yale Street in 1970, which was known as the zoo, I joined a new extended family. As Jack Duke coined the phrase, this was the golden age of Probation. It always reminded me of the MASH TV series. There was bedlam until the helicopters came in and then people got down to business and did it professionally. Many of the people from that era are here today and there are too many to name but I love every one of you.

When we were taken over by the Province I worked in a series of offices in Vancouver and the extended family just got larger. One thing I know about working in the criminal justice and child welfare systems is that the majority of people are of a high quality. We try to do the best and do it in a just, generous and compassionate fashion. We are not perfect but we strive to be.

I also worked at the Regional office and YDC. Again the pattern continued. Good people, and good friends. Donna McLean, Dave of course, Bill Turner are here to help me celebrate today.

With all that has happened recently I would like to pay homage to the friends and colleagues who are no longer with us. Gone but not forgotten are Judge Earl Vance, Judge Winifred Murphy, Deputy Sheriff Neil Frederick, Deputy Sheriff Creighton O’Malley, Probation Officers Joel O’Hara, Al Fitch, Jack Cobbbin, Betty Kerr and Jim Major Correctional Officer John McIntyre, Justice of the Peace Nora Davies and Family Court Counsellor Supreme Bernie Vinge. At Bernie’s wake this past spring Jake Gillis said in his eulogy that Bernie was the most outrageous character he had ever met and this was an understatement. At lunch last week Bob Morris said it is too bad Bernie wasn’t here because he would have loved this party.

One of the experiences I have enjoyed most is mentoring students from Simon Fraser University and the Justice Institute. It is not true that I only want students because I can’t type. The relationships I have had with the students have been really special. Most of the students have become friends for life and are working in the system in some capacity. Some of the students even surpass me. For example Al Shoom and Dana Cosgrove are Regional Directors in Corrections. Kristine Forbes has the dubious distinction of being my last student. One student I sort of have a special memory for is Lewis Lieu. When I came back to the line after the replacement project was cancelled I was quite depressed until I walked in to the coffee room and was introduced to Lewis as my student. Being with Lewis made me realise how important the work on the line is. If we were honest, most supervisors would agree that the work the Probation Officers and Social Workers do is harder than what we do.

I would like to thank PLEA for their recognition. I have been involved with the DARE program since its’ inception in 1972. It is one of those brilliant ideas that has endured. I would like to acknowledge Bernie Agg, the founder and my mentor, who is here tonight. I appreciate working with Ann Alexander and Mike Jefferies.

I have enjoyed my relationship with Step-Up and Genesis School. Step-Up was the first alternate school in Vancouver and it was started by Bernie Agg. The Genesis program which has three schools in the brainchild of Dave Buckley. The staff in these programs are of high quality and dedicated. Over the years they have become close friends to me.

My last five years at Robson Square have been a great last step before my retirement. I’ve had the privilege of working with the best. I will miss seeing them on a daily basis. The staff during this period were Mia Mackoff, Carol Fletcher, Karin Hartner, Barbara May, Iain Bendall, Marta Miranda, Graham Kell, Emilio Godoy, Ray Stellingworth, Tanya Van Schilentz, Maria Lennox, Deborah Rayne, Tami Porter, Sandra Mercer and Kim Delowski. Our coffee breaks were brief but meaningful.

Car 278, a joint venture with MCF and the VPD was another function I enjoyed being involved with. In today’s world of looking at outcomes and bottom lines, Car 278’s bottom line was perfect. During the five years I was involved with them there was not one complaint even though they are working with a difficult clientele base on the mean streets of Vancouver. I would like to give recognition to the following, Constable Terry Lashner, Constable Adam Dahilwal, the late Constable Rick Ozier, Al Duncan, Dennis Matonovich, and Grant Bunker.

My greatest passion, however, is working with the young people. I do not pretend to understand what they have gone through in their life. My brother George who is here with his wife Suzanne and I were fortunate to have outstanding parents. I think of them every day. We also have a great extended family who have been there for us as well. My aunt Phylis and Bob Hermanson and three of their daughters, Katherine, Lynn, and Jennifer are here to celebrate this special day with me. Other relatives that are here include Allan Hermanson, and Wendy Rienhart. The extended family has grown recently, my nephew Jeremy who is a Crown Counsel and my niece Diane who is a family court counsellor had a baby boy named William Mark. Although some of my friends have achieved significant accomplishments like Gordie Hogg being a Cabinet Minister and Austin Collins, a Supreme Court Judge, my heroes are the young people at risk who despite the odds against them become productive members of the community. This is an accomplishment beyond words and is usually the result of a lot of work of the youth and supportive adults. Despite what the flavour of the month promises there is no quick fix. Young people become successful through education, work, and the support of responsible and caring adults. I most likely will miss playing hockey and basketball with the kids the most.

Thanks for celebrating this special day. I love you all. In response to what comes next I can only say old Probation officers never die they just fade away. Don Hermansen

This is to announce that Kathleen Archibald, Family Justice Counsellor, Victoria, will be retiring December 31, 2001. Kathleen attended the Social Work Program in Victoria, in 1983 and it was during her practicum that she developed an interest in the career of Probation Officer/Family Justice Counsellor. When she graduated, in 1985, the government was not hiring, so she worked for a year at Victoria Court Registry, typing summons. In 1986, Kathleen applied for the job of Probation Officer, was successful, and was placed in Campbell River. She worked in that office for twelve years. When specialization occurred, Kathleen moved into the Family Justice Counsellor role. A year later, in 1998, she was able to achieve her final career goal of moving to Victoria in preparation for her retirement, by transferring to the Victoria Family Justice Centre.

Kathleen will be missed by her colleagues, but not without enormous envy. No doubt she will be enjoying even more line dancing on the shores of Sidney, B.C., and other enviable activities including enjoying her adored dog, Koko. (Koko, by the way, having accompanied Kathleen on many interviews and home studies, and coming to work at the office, is retiring as well!)

PENTICTON LAKESIDE RESORT, CONVENTION CENTRE & CASINO