What is the alternative measures program and does it avoid a trial?
Short answer
In Quebec, the general alternative measures program for adults (Programme de mesures de rechange général pour adultes, PMRG) makes it possible to resolve certain criminal charges other than by a trial. If the measure is completed as agreed, the court can bring the court proceedings to an end.
In detail
The PMRG rests on section 717 of the Criminal Code, which governs the use of alternative measures. Several conditions have to be met: the program must be authorized by the Attorney General, the person must have been informed of their right to counsel, they must accept responsibility for the act and freely express a wish to co-operate, and the prosecutor must consider that the evidence would justify a prosecution.
In Quebec, the prosecutor at the Directeur des poursuites criminelles et pénales (DPCP, Quebec's prosecution service) first assesses eligibility, then refers the file to the correctional services. The measures can include compensation to the victim, community work or an awareness activity. The program is offered at the Court of Québec in every judicial district and in a number of municipal courts.
One important safeguard: section 717(3) provides that an admission of responsibility made in order to be admitted to the program is not admissible in evidence in civil or criminal proceedings.
The PMRG does not apply to every offence or every situation. It is the prosecutor who decides where the file goes, taking into account, among other things, the victim's situation and the public interest.
What to document
Keep the written agreement setting out the measure, the deadlines and the contact people. Document that you carried it out: attestations of hours worked, proof of payment, confirmations that you attended the meetings. Proof that the measure was completed is what counts when you go back to court.
Put your facts in writing, free. Writing your version down early, keeping your documents dated and preparing your questions for a lawyer: the tool is there to document, never to advise.
Open the application Up to 3 files, no card · see the plans
Official sources
- Criminal Code, s. 717 (alternative measures) — Justice Laws Website
- General alternative measures program for adults — Gouvernement du Québec
Related questions
- Why can the judge keep me in custody before my trial?
- What happens if I breach my conditions?
- Can I have my release conditions changed?
- What happens if I do not show up for my court date?
- What is a section 810 peace bond and does it give you a criminal record?
See all the answers · the full guide collection · Lire en français
What this page is not
This is general legal information about the law of Quebec and Canada, dated and sourced. It is not legal advice, not a strategy, and not a prediction about the outcome of a case. In Quebec, only lawyers and notaries may give legal advice (Act respecting the Barreau du Québec, ss. 128 and 133). Laws and amounts change: the official source always prevails over us.