NCJ Number
174329
Date Published
1997
Length
37 pages
Annotation
Canada's juvenile justice system is described in terms of its history, laws, definitions of juvenile delinquency, the nature and extent of youth crime, the administration of juvenile justice, and current issues related to juvenile delinquency.
Abstract
Canada's Young Offenders Act took effect in 1984 and is the Federal law for handling juvenile offenders. This law represents a modified justice model and tries to balance the perceived special needs of youth with a measured degree of accountability. However, the law's implementation has not gone smoothly; considerable pressure exists to revise it, especially with respect to the age of responsibility, the publication of names, and accountability for serious offenses such as murder and aggravated assault. Three provinces have introduced strict discipline programming through work camps or boot camps for certain youth; some jurisdictions are initiating alternative programs based on a more humanitarian and welfare-model approach to juvenile justice. Since the law took effect, the overall rate of juvenile delinquency has modestly but steadily increased, especially in the area of violent crimes. In addition, provinces and territories vary in the ways they administer juvenile justice due to their differing financial realities and cultural, political, and social attitudes about the law's goals. Public attitudes appear to be oriented toward due process and accountability, but increasing numbers of individuals and organizations are reporting research findings indicating that the juvenile justice system may have gone in the wrong direction. Overall, future trends in the administration of juvenile justice in Canada are not clear, but examining what other countries are doing might provide alternative political and etiological insights. Tables, footnotes, and 83 references