Concerned with the resolution of some police investigations, some donors specifically give money aimed at rewarding individuals who provide the police with information helping to locate a missing person or leading to the arrest and conviction of individuals who committed a crime. The Rewards Program applies only to the investigation of crimes against the person, of hit and runs and search for a missing person, not to crime against private property or violence caused by street gangs.

Sun Youth act as an intermediary between the anonymous donor and the police force handling the investigation. Upon the investigators’ decision to pay a reward and the amount to be paid, Sun Youth will make the reward available to investigators for payment. Rewards are available only for a fixed period beyond which, depending on the donor’s instructions, the cash reward is re-conducted or the money is returned to the donor. It may also be used for other crime prevention activities, such as assistance to crime victims.

This Rewards Program began in 1991 with a partnership between the police department of the city of Montreal (SPVM) and Sun Youth, a partnership that remains active today. Four other major police forces joined the program since.

A useful tool

Since 1991, Sun Youth’s rewards program has helped solve 26 criminal investigations and cases of missing persons corresponding to 27% of all investigations for which a cash reward was offered. As of March 31st, 2019, the rewards granted amounted to $100,000.

 Active Reward Cases