Winners >Constable Jim Olsen

WINNER

Constable Jim Olsen
Lethbridge Police Service
Lethbridge, Alberta

Constable Jim Olsen is devoted to improving the lives of youth suffering from Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS), a brain disorder affecting a number of youth in conflict with the law. He recently played a crucial role in developing the FAS Youth Justice Committee, a program aimed at rehabilitating the offending behaviour of FAS-affected youth. For his efforts in working towards an effective solution to a specific problem affecting so many youth in trouble with the law, Constable Olsen is awarded the Minister of Justice National Youth Justice Policing Award. His innovative work with youth affected by FAS shows he is dedicated to dealing with a problem that has major implications for the youth justice system today.

Constable Olsen came up with the idea for the justice committee after noticing that too many young people with FAS were going through the traditional court system. Youth affected by this brain disorder, which is caused by mothers drinking alcohol during pregnancy, are likely to re-offend after undergoing formal court proceedings because they have severe difficulty learning from the consequences of their actions. "You'll punish these kids, and it won't work - they'll turn around and do it again," says Constable Olsen.

In the year 2000, Constable Olsen, along with a few community members, found a way to divert these youth away from formal court proceedings by creating the FAS Youth Justice Committee. Through the implementation of daily living plans for FAS-affected youth, the committee seeks to improve the behaviour of youth who have come into conflict with the law. These daily living plans are designed to address the individual needs of young people suffering from FAS and help guide them through each day.

As community project officer for the committee, Constable Olsen seeks input from various health, community, and legal agencies on how to design the daily living plans. He also meets with parents and teachers of troubled youth to see if the young person should be tested for FAS so they can be referred to the committee. The Crown Prosecutor often recommends the court refer FAS-affected youth to the committee as an alternative to formal sentencing.

So far the program has been successful; about 80 per cent of youth who come before the committee don't get into trouble with the law again, says Constable Olsen. "We were working with a girl who was at a high risk for pregnancy, was running away constantly, and getting into trouble at school. She just recently got the most improved student award at her high school," he says.

The FAS Youth Justice Committee, a pilot project funded by Alberta Children Services, is the only program of its kind in Canada. It is not only a collaborative effort of various agencies relating to youth and youth justice, but is also a partnership of the community and parents.

Since starting their work with FAS-affected youth, the committee has expanded its scope to include youth suffering from Fetal Alcohol Effects. Children with this condition have fewer dramatic physical defects, but share many of the same behavioural characteristics of children born with FAS.

Constable Olsen has many plans to expand the program in the future; he is setting up a summer program, as well as an after-school supervision program for FAS-affected youth.

Contact person:
Constable Jim Olsen
403-330-5044