Youth Criminal Justice Act Essay

People have always considered children kind, generous, caring, and playful, but never crminal offenders. The Youth Criminal Justice Act (YCJA), as Canadians know today, as we know it today, was only sometimes the YCJA. It all started as the Jjuvenile Ddelinquent Aact (1908-1984), which then evolved into the Yyoung Ooffender's Aact (1984-2003) and finally evolved into the YCJAyouth criminal justice act (2003-present). The YCJAS's prmary goal is to protect the community by holding Canadian youth accountable, rehabilitating and reintegrating youths back into society, and preventing crime amongst youth. However, is the YCJA effectively dealing with youth crime in Canada? Some people believe that the YCJA is effectively dealing with youth crime

One of the core principles of the YCJA is that each young person is viewed as an individual and is entitled to have their uinque circumstances taken into account when they come in contact with the law. This means that the YCJA recongnizes that young people who come in conflict with the law are not neccessarily criminals but may be dealing with various issues, including family problems, mental health issues, substance abuse, and other relevant factors. For example, as it states on the Crime Prevention website, “http://www.ccsd.ca/resources/CrimePrevention/index.htm” . As a result, the YCJA focuses on the importance of reintegration and rehabilitation rather than punishment. Overall the YCJA is based on the idea that young people are still developing and have the potential to change their behavior. By looking at each kid as an individual and providing them with the support and resources they need, the YCJA aims to reduce recedivism and promote positive outcomes for young people in conflict with the

While the effectiviness of the YCJA is a subject of an ongoing debate some people argue that the act is not effectivivley dealing with children who are inviovled in criminal activitity. One commmon criticisism of the YCJA is that it is too leininant on young offenders. For example some people beelive that the act places too much emapapshis on rehibiblatation and reintegration and not enough on punishment. They Argue that this approach does not hold young offenders accountable for their actions and does not deter them from from engaging in in criminal behaviour in the furtutre.