What is the average length of time that a young offender is incarcerated?
The average length of a sentence is 9 months, but it can range from anywhere in between 1 day, all the way up to five years. However, if a youth is raised to adult court, they can receive the maximum penalty (25 Years).

What is the recidivism rate in B.C.?
Although there has never been an exhaustive research done in Canada, it is estimated that the recidivism rate is 55%. That is a considerable difference from the United States, which has a recidivism rate of about 75%.

What is the male to female ratio in PGYCC?
Although it can vary, depending on the count of the center, an average ratio is 7:1.

Has there been an increase in female youth charged by the police, 1992-1996?
Overall, there was no notable increase. The rate remained quite stable.

Are female youth getting involved with crime at a younger age?
A. It appears that females are not getting involved with crime at a younger age. A mean age of 15 remained the same from 1991-1996.

Are female youth getting more violent?
There was a steady increase in the number of female youth processed through the youth court system a violent offense from 1991-1994. However there was a slight decrease in 1995 and 1996.

Has there been an increase in male youth charged by police, 1992-1996?
By offense category, there was a slight increase in violent crimes and a more dramatic increase in drug offenses. Property crimes decreased significantly and other offenses decreased.

Has there been an increase in male youth processed through the youth court system, 1992/93-1996/97?
There was a consistent decrease of property crimes and other crimes, while crimes of violence increased slightly. Young offenders act offenses peaked in 1993/94 and decreased in subsequent years but still slightly above the 1992/93 rate. Drug offences consistently increased.

Are male youth getting involved with crime at a younger age?
A mean age of 15.5 has remained consistent from 1992/93 to 1994/95, increasing to 16 in 1996/97.

Are male youth getting more violent?
Youth court statistics indicate relative stability among the violent offenses over 1992-1996.

Are male youth getting more serious dispositions?
There has been consistent increase in secure custody dispositions. Open custody experienced an increase followed by a decrease in 1996/97. Probation reveals a decrease until 1994/95 when an increase trend began. Fine and community service order and absolute discharge dispositions decreased.

Has there been an increase in the number of male youth transferred to adult court?
From 1991/92 to 1996/97, a total of 486 male youths were transferred to adult court. The majority of youth (87%) were 16 years of age or older.

What are the programs like?
The programs offer a variety of experiences. Most of the residents enjoy the woodwork program and gym the most.

What type of work programs are there?
Bowron house has it's own set of programs like Meals on wheels: take food to seniors houses.

Are visits possible if so who may visit?
Immediate family are the only visitors allowed. There are also volunteers who may choose to just visit a group of kids or their assigned Buddy.

How are the staff like?
There are different kind of people working here we just got to learn how they are. Some staff you can sit down and talk seriously or joke around and others you just want to keep your distance and do your own thing.

What types of dicipline is there?
Dicipline depends on how serious the situation is. For fights kids get lock down for at least 24 hrs to 72 hrs. An argument can get you locked in your room for an hour or the rest of the night. If chores are not completed correctly than you can get an hour after shift change or early bed. You may even get extra duties, which if you get 30 minutes worth than you do chores for 30 minutes.

What is it like on the Holidays?
Holidays are sometimes celebrated like Christmas, and New years. But they are preferrably ignored. It is a very depressing time. We face the reality of why we are in here and how much longer we have. It is hard to realize that your freedom has been taken away even if you get a visit or make a phone call to your family it isn't the same thing.

Are there any kind of outings?
Temporary Abscences are possible for the kid that is being released soon or is doing very well. During the T.A. there are restrictions that are followed. T.A.'s can be for a variety of reasons like a funeral, birthday, marriage, physiotherapy, Probation appointments, camping trips with staff.

Are there kids from other parts of the province living there?
We have kids from Edmonton, Vancouver, Victoria, Kamloops etc.

How do they contact family or see them? Some kids have not seen there family for almost 1 year to a few weeks or hours. Phonecalls, special visits, and or T.A.'s are set to keep the family in contact with eachother.

How do you find the education program?
We can study at our own pace and have help from the teachers or staff whenever possible. The school sets us up with the appropriate courses for our grade level so it would be easy to get into a highschool. We are given alternate programs that are credit for an actual academic course. School is looked forward to by most residents.

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