The increase in armed violence in the streets of Montreal is reflected in the youth center of Cité-des-Prairies, which welcomes young offenders serving sentences for misdemeanors and many of whom gravitate around delinquent networks in enemy neighborhoods.
It was in December. The speaker Michel Brière was trying to organize activities for young people who were going to spend the holidays between the beige walls of Cité-des-Prairies. But he had to adjust his plans to “minimize risk” because it had been a “hot” year outside.
“There are issues on the site, we have street gangs. And as it stirs a lot outside, we have security issues, there are guys we can’t mix, “he explained in an interview with the Duty.
“There was a time when Cité-des-Prairies was seen as a neutral environment, you didn’t settle anything here. But it is getting lost more and more with what is happening outside, ”he added.
“The guys have orders, they are told: there is such a guy in such a unit, if you were able to arrange his portrait, that would be interesting. And there are guys who have lost buddies [dans des règlements de comptes à l’extérieur]. This mentality [de vengeance] in street gangs, it’s a reality here. »
End of the line
Cité-des-Prairies welcomes young people under youth protection who need maximum supervision. It is also where young offenders are sent who are sentenced to serve time as a result of an offence. “When you come to Cité-des-Prairies, it’s generally not for a first offence, unless you’ve committed murder,” explains Michel Brière. Guys are not here for caps wheels or for stealing bubblegum from the convenience store. It’s the end of the line. »
The majority of young offenders housed in Cité-des-Prairies gravitate, directly or indirectly, around street gangs, confirms Mathieu Perrier, the specialist in the matter, who offers support to all professionals in youth centers in Montreal. When a team has to deal with difficulties related to street gangs, he is the one to call on. And when the situation escalates and a battle breaks out in a unit, he is never far away.
Mathieu Perrier is all in nuances. He does not speak of “street gangs”, but of “delinquent networks”, a term more “adapted to the phenomenon”, according to him. The 30-something thinks about the phenomenon in clinical terms, explaining the differences between those who know gang members because they grew up in the same neighborhood, those who are still in the “honeymoon” phase with the group and those who part of the hard core. “We tend to see the members of a delinquent network in a dichotomous way: either you are a member or you are not. But involvement and experience will differ [d’un jeune à l’autre]. We are on a continuum. »
Increase in conflicts
But whatever their involvement, young people drag their past to Cité-des-Prairies and, in their luggage, they also often bring conflicts with young people from enemy groups. And these are more and more present. “Conflicts have always existed, but yes, there is an increase”, recognizes Mathieu Perrier.
However, it should not be assumed that the presence of young people from opposing neighborhoods will necessarily lead to conflicts, specifies the speaker. “Let’s say wards X and Y are in big conflict outside. I have some guys in those neighborhoods who can cohabit in a unit, but I have some guys who really can’t cohabit together, because there’s been a big event outside. which means that young people cannot. It would be too bad for them to live together, and it could get out of hand. These situations, we observe more than before. »
In general, we try to mix the groups in the units, explains Mathieu Perrier. “They are told: ‘Leave what is happening outside. And sometimes they can catch themselves knowing each other and seeing something else behind the gang member. It is a protection factor for the exterior. Of course, depending on the context in which they evolve outside, they will never go for a beer together, but maybe we can avoid a shootout. That’s always been our philosophy here. »
But this philosophy is being put to the test at the moment, and transfers from one unit to another are more frequent. “The current context means that a young person has had to make some unit transfers because of larger conflicts”, specifies the speaker.
Peacemaking meetings
Before getting there, the speaker will nevertheless try to organize a “pacification meeting” between young people living in conflict. Some cases are easier than others to resolve, he explains. “I made pacification meetings for stories of narcotics outside. It was easier to deal with than when you have a guy whose boyfriend was just shot by a gun outside and died. »
The speaker gives the example of two young people who had had a conflict outside in relation to drug trafficking. The meeting enabled them to see that the conflict did not concern them directly, that they were linked to it through their respective friends. Since that time, the two young people live together without problems. Other times, failing to settle the conflict, they will agree to a “truce” during their forced stay in Cité-des-Prairies. But in some cases, the young people involved will never agree to take part in a peacemaking meeting. “I spent an hour and a half with a youngster trying every means to create motivation, but nothing came of it. He just said to me: “If you put me with him, it’s sure to blow up.” »
For Mathieu Perrier, security within the walls of the youth center goes beyond the physical protection of young people. “One of the first elements that make a young person get involved in gangs is the need for security,” he explains. If we had a place that was not safe, young people who are less criminalized could tend to try to arm themselves inside or join more delinquent peers. »
The culture of criminal networks, with its law of silence, the image that must be protected at all costs and the idea of unlimited loyalty to the group to which they belong, complicates the task of educators. But Mathieu Perrier is delighted with each small success. “It’s not easy because of the gang culture outside, but our mandate is to try. »