NCJ Number
88080
Date Published
1982
Length
31 pages
Annotation
The Young Offenders Act of Canada establishes a system of youth courts, procedures, and dispositions separate from that established for adults but which provides for the same basic rights as are afforded adults, with special safeguards and guarantees to protect juveniles.
Abstract
In question and answer format, the report highlights the act's major provisions. It emphasizes that the new legislation incorporates a concern for crime victims, juvenile offenders' parents, and community safety. The act emphasizes that juveniles should be held more accountable for their crimes but still should not be tried as adults. For the first time, it sets a uniform maximum age at which a juvenile can be tried in youth courts; the law applies only to those aged 12-17, inclusive.