NCJ Number
176180
Journal
Canadian Journal of Criminology Volume: 41 Issue: 1 Dated: January 1999 Pages: 57-84
Date Published
1999
Length
28 pages
Annotation
Data from 47,088 youth court cases that reached disposition in fiscal year 1995-96 in Canada were examined to determine how Canada's juvenile justice system responds to first-time and repeat juvenile offenders under the Young Offenders Act.
Abstract
The data were supplied by the Canadian Center for Justice Statistics form the Youth Court Survey. Results indicate that, amid the controversy about the leniency of dispositions under the Young Offenders Act, judges tended to give custody more often to repeat offenders than to first offenders. The factors affecting the severity of the disposition include the number of prior convictions, gender, and offense seriousness. However, the repeat offender's age did not contribute substantially to the severity of the disposition. Further research should focus on whether repeat offenders are also receiving longer sentence lengths, compared to first-time offenders who have committed the same offense, and on whether this approach is proving beneficial in preventing recidivism. Although alternative approaches and diversion programs in Canada are geared toward first offenders, consideration should be given to whether these programs may be useful in preventing youth with prior records from reentering the justice system. Tables, notes, appended description of crime categories, and 16 references (Author abstract modified)