NCJ Number
171444
Journal
Canadian Journal of Criminology Volume: 40 Issue: 2 Dated: (April 1998) Pages: 153-164
Date Published
1998
Length
12 pages
Annotation
This study tests the hypothesis that the reduction in police diversion of young offenders (i.e., the increased proportion of apprehended young offenders who were charged) in Canada during the first 5 years of the Young Offenders Act resulted from higher proportions charged among the 16- and 17-year-olds added to the jurisdiction of the youth justice system in the majority of provinces and territories.
Abstract
Analysis of age-specific data on charging of young offenders in Ontario and Saskatchewan in 1995 suggests that the addition of 16- and 17-year-olds accounted for about half of the observed increase in police charging of young offenders after 1984, and that the other half resulted from increased charging of 12- to 15-year-olds. The study could not determine to what extent the higher observed charge ratios for 16- and 17-year-olds were "preexisting" (i.e., existed prior to 1985), and to what extent they increased after 1984 because data were not available on charge ratios for 16- and 17-year-olds prior to 1985. Tables, figures, notes, references