Review of Roots of Youth Violence Report

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On November 14, 2008 the Review of the Roots of Youth Violence report, co-chaired by former Chief Justice Roy McMurtry and former Speaker of the Legislature Alvin Curling, was presented to Premier Dalton McGuinty. The report recommends that government focus its resources on the province's most disadvantaged communities and describes how poverty, racism, the lack of decent housing, culturally insensitive education systems and limited job prospects combine to create hopelessness, alienation and low self-esteem among youth that all too often explodes into violence.

The report recommends measures to improve social conditions, address poverty and racism, generate employment opportunities, establish a comprehensive youth policy framework, and better coordinate the efforts of different government ministries and agencies. It also recommends building strong communities through a “place-based” approach and the use of an Index of Relative Disadvantage to determine which communities are in most need.

The report sets out four pillars to support its 30 major recommendations. The pillars are:

• A Repaired Social Context: Social Opportunity and Anti-Racism
• A Youth Policy Framework
• A Neighbourhood Capacity and Empowerment Focus
• Integrated Governance

Premier McGuinty announced the review in June 2007 to lead an examination of what the province can do to combat youth violence. OPSBA President Colleen Schenk presented a submission to the committee in February 2008 (below).

See the OPSBA Review of the Roots of Youth Violence news release (below).

Complete report