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12 Windsor Y.B. Access Just. 52 (1992)
Passing the Buck: Prosecution of Welfare Fraud; Preservation of Stereotypes

handle is hein.journals/windyrbaj12 and id is 56 raw text is: PASSING THE BUCK: PROSECUTION OF WELFARE FRAUD; PRESERVATION OF STEREOTYPES* by Dianne L. Martin** Concerns about accountability of social assistance schemes have traditionally been addressed through punitive and intrusive enforce- ment mechanisms. In Ontario, although other aspects of the social assistance scheme have been considered for broad reform, a continu- ation of a punitive model has been justified on the ground that this approach is necessary to preserve public confidence in system integ- rity. This paper argues that a penal enforcement regime is not only counter productive and unjustified, but that it perpetuates false and harmful stereotypes about recipients of social assistance. At a mini- mum, the overall goals for reform must also be applied to whatever accountability measures are adopted. Les poursuites contre i'abus de l'assistance sociale et la conservation des stereotypes Les gouvernements ont toujours rdagi a la peur de l'abus des rdgimes d'assistance sociale en glaborant des mdcanismes punitifs et indiscrets de virification. En Ontario, tandis qu'on a pensg d apporter des raformes importantes a d'autres aspects de 'assistance sociale, on a defendu le modele actuel de vdrification en prdtendant que cette approche est ndcessaire pour conserver la confiance publique en l' intdgritt du systeme. L'auteure affirme qu'au contraire, non seule- ment un rdgime punitif de vWrification est injustifig et va 6 I'encontre du but recherchi, il propage 9galement des images stgdrotypes fausses et nuisibles aux bdncficiaires. A tout le moins, les buts des mesures de virification qu'on adoptera devraient &tre ceux de la rdforme gdnrale. Preface: Sally Jones, 24, has two children under the age of 6. She has lived with their father, Bob Smith, since she was 17. They never married but Sally describes her relationship with Bob as living common law, although there are long stretches when they do not, in fact, live together. * With the permission of the Ministry of Community and Social Services, this paper is derived from a background paper prepared for the Ministry of Commu- nity and Social Services Legislative Review Branch: Balancing Competing Principles: The Identification of Problems and Issues Regarding the Prosecution of Offenses under New Social Assistance Legislation in Ontario: Options for Reform, September, 1991, and with thanks to Michele Moore, Student, Os- goode Hall Law School. ** Assistant Professor, Osgoode Hall Law School of York University (1992), 12 Windsor Yearbook of Access to Justice

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