The criminal justice system can be challenging for adults to navigate, but the juvenile justice system is unique for young people. They may be entitled to special legal rights and considerations that their adult counterparts don’t have.
What should you know about children’s rights and the youth court system when facing criminal charges?
Youth Criminal Justice Act
To cut down on young offenders, the Canadian courts implemented the Youth Criminal Justice Act to help rehabilitate young people who end up within the court system.
Promotes Rehabilitation
Instead of simply putting children in the juvenile justice system, there’s a heavy emphasis on rehabilitation so that young people can return to their community. With this in mind, they may be eligible for more community programs that encourage them to improve their behaviour and reduce delinquency.
Diminished Culpability
Unlike the criminal code for adults, the youth justice process focuses a bit less on culpability. Adults may be held to a different standard than children who are still in the various stages of development. As a result, youth justice committees usually agree that holding a young person accountable is different, as a youth has less emotional and intellectual maturity.
Intervention Vs. Prison System
Your lawyer may be able to transition young offenders from being stuck in the juvenile justice system and behind bars to freedom with conditions. While this may not always be possible, there is a heavy emphasis on intervention when it comes to crime prevention. More serious offences may still require jail time, but this often is preceded by a serious violent offence.
On the other hand, there’s less grace for young offenders who commit the same crime twice.
Repeat Offence Committed
The court system can see prior offences, so if a young person fails to learn their lesson from the first intervention, the court can implement extrajudicial measures that can cut back on the number of repeat offences before more serious action is taken.
A young person who doesn’t learn from their initial mistakes will be punished more severely in the future, which is something to keep in mind when evaluating potential outcomes.
Understanding the Young Offenders Act
When you or your child are facing criminal responsibility for an act, you need a top-notch youth offence lawyer in Winnipeg. Brodsky Amy & Gould can provide you with the legal aid you need to minimize the sentence for a young person’s rehabilitation. This can yield great results for their overall record moving forward.
Reach out to us today to learn more about how we can help the youth in our Winnipeg community!
