CRIMES GROW VIOLENT

The good news from Statistics Canada is youth crime is on the decline. The
bad news is police are finding youth crime is becoming more violent and
drug related.

A Statistics Canada youth court survey reported yesterday that courts heard
99,590 cases in the fiscal year 2000-01. That's down 10% from 1996-97.

The Canada-wide survey covers youths aged 12-17.

A substantial decrease in property offences contributed to the decline,
although drug offences rose, according to the agency.

During the study period, the number of cases involving property crimes
declined 23% to 40,023 and those involving violent crimes declined 6% to
21,760.

YOUTH TRENDS

Property crime accounted for 40% of all cases before youth courts and
violent crime accounted for 22%. About half the violent crime cases were
for common assaults.

Police in Ottawa are noticing the same trends.

"Overall, youth crime may be dropping but there is an increase in
(violence)," said Ottawa youth crime unit Sgt. Atallah Sadaka.

Sadaka said there has also been an increase in the number of
possession-related drug offences among youth.

There could be several explanations for the drop in the number of youth
crime cases going to court, especially property offences, he said. They
include people not reporting such crimes or a new diversion program that
steers minor non-violent offenders away from the court system.