Message from the Ministers

June 2009

British Columbia has one of the best criminal justice systems in the world.  Our judges, courts, police, corrections and legal profession work very hard to make sure justice is served, that victims receive the supports they need, and that offenders make reparation to victims and society for their criminal behaviour.

That said, society and our expectations of the justice system have changed significantly over the past 20 to 30 years.  For a variety of reasons, demands on the system have grown, as have the costs of operating it.  The public has raised concerns that the system is not meeting those demands quickly enough or as efficiently as possible.  We all want to feel safe and secure in our homes and communities.

We are committed to finding new ways to make sure justice is served.  Our justice reform plan aims to find early solutions and faster justice through innovative projects shown to have worked well elsewhere.  In early 2007, our three ministries jointly formed the Criminal Justice Reform Secretariat to lead the development of projects to test new approaches.

One example is Vancouver’s Downtown Community Court, which takes a problem-solving approach to address the issue of crime in the city’s core area.  As the first court of its kind in Canada, we believe it will clearly demonstrate that criminal justice can be delivered in a new and effective way.  Early results are promising and show that the court is making a difference.

On this website you will find information about the criminal justice reform projects underway and how the projects are doing.

Honourable Michael de Jong
Attorney General

Honourable Kash Heed
Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General

Honourable Mary Polak
Minister of Children and Family Development