NCJ Number
149461
Date Published
1990
Length
35 pages
Annotation
The Young Offenders Act (YOA) was drafted by the Canadian government as a means of dealing with juveniles between the ages of 12 and 17 who violate federal criminal law; it was passed in 1982 and was implemented between 1983 and 1985.
Abstract
The new YOA is based on four guiding principles: that youthful offenders should be held responsible for their actions, that society has a fundamental right to protect itself from youthful criminal behavior, that youthful offenders require both discipline and special types of guidance and assistance, and that young persons have the same rights and freedoms as adults. The YOA provides for a wide range of dispositions including absolute discharge, fines, restitutions, committal for treatment, open custody, secure custody, compensation, community service, and probation. This booklet discusses issues related to the YOA that impact on Canadian school boards, including admissibility of evidence, cautioning procedures, policies on students, search and seizure, interagency liaison, corporal punishment, and conflicts between federal and provincial legislation regarding the role of schools. 3 appendixes