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New Lock-up for Teenagers

February 3, 2009 permalink

Ontario's low-profile Minister of Children and Youth Services, Deb Matthews, has broken her silence to announce a service for Ontario's children — a jail, euphemistically called a secure custody facility. It will expand its capacity to confine 40 teenaged boys in Ottawa.

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Newly Expanded Ottawa Youth Custody Facility Opens

McGuinty Government Helping Youth Get Their Lives Back On Track

TORONTO, Feb. 3 /CNW/ -

NEWS

The William E. Hay Youth Centre, a newly expanded secure custody facility, will now help accommodate more youth in conflict with the law with specialized services and programs.

The Ottawa project is an expansion of an existing secure custody/detention facility that will add 16 more beds for a total of 40 for male youth ages 12 to 17. All male youth in conflict with the law who require secure custody in the Ottawa area will now be served at this facility.

Ontario is moving youth out of adult correctional facilities and into separate youth custody facilities (www.gov.on.ca/children/english/programs/youth/law/228585.html) to provide young people with more effective programs and more opportunity for rehabilitation as close to home as possible.

Services provided at the centre will help youth make the transition back into their community better-prepared to make the right choices and a positive contribution to society.

QUOTES

"This expansion marks the end of an era," said Children and Youth Services Minister Deb Matthews. "No longer will youth in conflict with the law be sharing a facility with adult offenders. Not only will they take responsibility for their actions but they'll have access to dedicated youth programming that will significantly reduce their risk of reoffending."

"This expansion is part of Ontario's plan to establish a dedicated stand-alone detention and custody system to help meet the unique needs of youth ages 12-17 in conflict with the law," said Yasir Naqvi, MPP for Ottawa Centre.

"The William E. Hay Centre's dedicated staff are focused on this goal: to ensure no young person's entire future is defined by a poor choice they have made or a risk they have taken. Working with the other Youth Services Bureau programs - mental health, housing and employment - we seek to focus these young men on the path towards a better life ahead," said Alex Munter, Executive Director, Youth Services Bureau.

QUICK FACTS

  • Approximately 27 new jobs have been created to operate the expanded centre as well as more than 100 construction-related jobs.
  • The province is building new youth centres in Brampton (www.gov.on.ca/children/english/programs/youth/law/228586.html), Fort Frances(www.gov.on.ca/children/english/programs/youth/law/228588.html) and Thunder Bay (www.gov.on.ca/children/english/programs/youth/law/228590.html) and just opened a new youth centre in Sault Ste. Marie (www.gov.on.ca/children/english/programs/youth/law/228589.html).

LEARN MORE

  • Learn more about programs for youth in conflict with the law (http://www.gov.on.ca/children/english/programs/youth/law/index.html) in Ontario.
  • Find out about how Ontario is helping youth (www.gov.on.ca/children/english/programs/youth/oppotunities/index.html) achieve their potential.
  • The Youth Criminal Justice Act (http://www.justice.gc.ca/eng/pi/yj-jj/ycja-lsjpa/ycja-lsjpa.html)is the legislation in Canada that deals with young people ages 12 to 17 who break the law.
  • Learn more about ReNew Ontario (http://www.pir.gov.on.ca/english/infrastructure/renew.htm), the province's infrastructure investment plan.

FACT SHEET

WILLIAM E. HAY YOUTH CENTRE

The newly expanded William E. Hay Youth Centre in Ottawa will accommodate the specialized services and programs required to address the needs of youth in conflict with the law.

The Ottawa project is an expansion of an existing secure custody/detention facility operated by the Youth Services Bureau of Ottawa(http://www.ysb.on.ca/), a not-for-profit community agency. The Ottawa-Carleton Detention Centre Youth Unit will be closed in March 2009 and youth in this facility will transfer to William E. Hay Youth Centre. All male youth in conflict with the law who require secure custody in the Ottawa area will now be served at this facility.

The centre will keep youth as close as possible to their own communities while providing rehabilitative services in a facility designed to meet the needs of youth. This also maximizes the potential for family involvement, which plays a key role in helping youth re-integrate into society and become contributing members of their communities.

Highlights:

  • Construction cost: approximately $5.36 million.
  • Facility size: approximately 668.53 m(2) (7,196 square feet).
  • Designed by Barry J. Hobin and Architects.
  • Added 16 more beds for a total of 40 beds for male youth ages 12 to 17.
  • Created more than 100 construction-related jobs.
  • Approximately 27 additional jobs created to operate the centre.
  • Capital funding to build the facility provided by the government as part of its $30-billion five-year ReNew Ontario infrastructure investment plan.

The McGuinty government is committed to keeping Ontario communities strong, safe and vital by reducing the number of youth in conflict with the law who re-offend.


For further information: Laura Dougan, Minister's Office, (416) 212-3394; Anne Machowski-Smith, Ministry of Children and Youth Services, (416) 325-5156

ONTARIO MINISTRY OF CHILDREN AND YOUTH SERVICES - More on this organization

Source: Canada News Wire


From another website, here is a diagram of the facility.

William E Hay Youth Centre

Source: Ontario Ministry of Children and Youth Services

foster home by Justin Holland
Foster child Justin Holland draws his home

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