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Newfoundland to add more Crown prosecutors
13-11-2024
Newfoundland and Labrador has agreed to hire more Crown lawyers following cries of a shortage of prosecutors in the province.
“Now, the government really has to focus on recruiting,” said Patten, pointing to other provinces that have also vowed to hire more Crowns.
“The problem is … filling those positions. So, what we really want government to focus on now is the recruitment side to fill those 18 new positions.”
He also said the NLCAA will go back to pressing the government for more if the 18 does not adequately lessen the current stress on the system.
Patten was asked about the current shortage. As an example, he noted that there are currently only five prosecutors in the Happy Valley-Goose Bay office and that some are currently handling between 200 and 300 files.
As he has done before, he also noted that prosecutors in the province’s eastern region are feeling the heat. He noted that there were about 2,500 active files being handled by 29 prosecutors back in 2012, but that there are currently more than 5,300 active files being handled by around 25 prosecutors.
In 2023, Newfoundland’s government reportedly increased the salaries of its Crown lawyers. But Patten continues to point out that an increase in pay will not address the stress being caused by the ongoing shortage.On Nov. 13, it was announced the province’s government will be investingnearly $24 million into initiatives to “enhance access to justice and strengthen public trust in the justice system.”
The “multi-year investment” will include the hiring of 18 new Crown lawyers, according to a news release. (The investment will also mean 25 new correctional officers, 14 new deputy sheriffs and a manager of court security for Labrador.)
“This is another step in our government’s approach in strengthening the continuum of justice,” said Minister of Justice and Public Safety Bernard Davis. “By investing in additional resources, we are ensuring the safe operation of courts and correctional facilities, while also modernizing our system to increase satisfaction with the administration of justice in Newfoundland and Labrador.”
The announcement comes after continued warnings of a shortage of Crown prosecutors in the province. Officials with the Newfoundland and Labrador Crown Attorneys Association (NLCAA) have been saying its members are overworked due to a lack of staff.
As a result, the NLCAA has been ramping up its calls for the province to hire more prosecutors.
Shortly after the announcement, NLCAA president Shawn Patten said that while his association has been asking the province for 25 to 30 additional prosecutors, the announcement of 18 is welcome news.
“It’s certainly a good starting point, and we’re happy to see today that they did make an announcement for 18,” Patten said during an interview with Law360 Canada.
But there remains an existing challenge.
“Now, the government really has to focus on recruiting,” said Patten, pointing to other provinces that have also vowed to hire more Crowns.
“The problem is … filling those positions. So, what we really want government to focus on now is the recruitment side to fill those 18 new positions.”
He also said the NLCAA will go back to pressing the government for more if the 18 does not adequately lessen the current stress on the system.
Patten was asked about the current shortage. As an example, he noted that there are currently only five prosecutors in the Happy Valley-Goose Bay office and that some are currently handling between 200 and 300 files.
As he has done before, he also noted that prosecutors in the province’s eastern region are feeling the heat. He noted that there were about 2,500 active files being handled by 29 prosecutors back in 2012, but that there are currently more than 5,300 active files being handled by around 25 prosecutors.
In 2023, Newfoundland’s government reportedly increased the salaries of its Crown lawyers. But Patten continues to point out that an increase in pay will not address the stress being caused by the ongoing shortage.
https://www.law360.ca/ca/articles/2260478/newfoundland-to-add-more-crown-prosecutors
