NCJ Number
163914
Journal
Forum on Corrections Research Volume: 7 Issue: 1 Dated: January 1995 Pages: 46-48
Date Published
January 1995
Length
3 pages
Annotation
In response to a rash of violent incidents involving young offenders, Canada's Minister of Justice and the Attorney General of Canada tabled Bill C-37 in June 1994 to amend the Young Offenders Act and deal more severely with young people who commit serious crimes.
Abstract
Bill C-37 encourages alternatives to incarceration for young offenders who commit less serious offenses and focuses on reserving custody in a closed environment for those who commit serious offenses or require closer supervision. The bill proposes an increase in the maximum youth court sentence for first-degree murder from 5 to 10 years, changes in parole eligibility, and an increase in the time period that must elapse before young offender criminal records are destroyed. The bill also creates the presumption that certain young offender cases will be transferred to adult court. Implications of proposed changes to the Young Offenders Act for the Correctional Service of Canada are discussed, and possibilities for action in response to the proposed amendments are suggested. 4 references