NCJ Number
186902
Date Published
1999
Length
6 pages
Annotation
This paper describes Canada's Youth Justice Renewal Initiative, which is intended to provide an effective response to youth crime, its causes, and its consequences.
Abstract
One part of this initiative is a new youth justice law. The Federal Government has enacted a new act, the Youth Criminal Justice Act, to replace the Young Offenders Act. The new law provides for a fair and effective youth justice system that involves young people, families, victims, and communities. A renewed youth justice system is envisioned to prevent youth crime, hold youth accountable for their actions, and provide rehabilitation and reintegrative services for youthful offenders. Prevention programs focus on encouraging and supporting community programs that help youth learn new prosocial skills and channel their energies into positive activities; ensuring that youth are educated and trained for constructive careers that contribute to their communities; ensuring that youth receive good nutrition, housing, and health care; and protecting children from physical, emotional, or sexual abuse. Regarding accountability for delinquent behavior, the new system will ensure that consequences are proportionate to the seriousness of the offense; the new youth justice system provides sentences that deal effectively with all types of youth crime. Diversion programs are designed to keep youth from becoming involved in the formal justice system while still holding them accountable and guiding them into positive behaviors. Rehabilitation and reintegration focus on restitution and the tailoring of sentences and corrections programs to offenders' individual needs. The new youth system has a focus on dealing with offending behavior by children under 12 years old.