Justice for Minors in Quebec: Anatomy of Legislative and Administrative Changes and Their Impact on Effectiveness (From L'Avenir du Systeme Penal des Mineurs, P 237-250, 1991, Josine Junger-Tas, Leonieke Boendermaker, et al., eds. - See NCJ-133019)

• NCJ Number: 133036
• Author(s): M le Blanc
• Date Published: 1991
• Length: 14 pages
• Sale Source: ACCO Tiensestraat 134-136
• Publication Type: Legislation/Policy Analysis
• Language: French
• Country: Belgium
• Note: *This document is currently unavailable from NCJRS.

Annotation

The article examines whether Canada's new juvenile codes have been more effective in preventing recidivism in Quebec than previous juvenile codes.

Abstract

Unlike previous laws, the Juvenile Protection Act (1979) attempts to keep juveniles out of the courts as long as possible. It established the Juvenile Protection Board which acts as a formal barrier diverting juveniles from the court system. To test the effectiveness of court diversion, the author studied 919 male juveniles from Quebec who had committed an offense in 1981. Of this sample, 421 were brought before a court while 498 were diverted. Among the juveniles who were brought to trial, 80 were subsequently found guilty of at least one other crime before the age of 18, and 211 committed crimes as adults. Of the juveniles who were diverted, 75 were later found guilty of an offense against the Young Offenders Act, and 219 were found guilty of a crime as adults. The recidivism rates in the two groups are roughly equal and show that court diversion is no more effective in preventing recidivism than a court appearance. Furthermore, the recidivism rates are just as high as those of the 1908 juvenile code previously in use. A bibliography and statistical charts are appended.