Youth and the Law

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Young offenders are persons under the age of 18, who are convicted for a criminal offence. The Juvenile Delinquents Act was made in 1908 and active until 1984. The Young Offenders Act was made in 1984 and active until 2002. The Youth Criminal Justice Act was made in 2002 as a replacement for the Young Offenders Act, which set out the process for responding to young offenders. These three famous young criminals were convicted of murder and tried as adults in court, resulting in them doing time at the Kingston Penitentiary. Antoine Beauche was given a three-year sentence at Kingston Penitentiary. He was eight years old. Inmate Elizabeth Breen was beaten six times when she was only 12 years old. Irish immigrant Grace Marks was 16 when she was convicted for the murders of her wealthy employer, Thomas Kinnear, and Nancy Montgomery, his housekeeper and mistress. The Canadian justice system is strict on its young offenders, this is seen through the Youth Offenders Act, sentencing, and rehabilitation.
The Young Offenders Act (YOA) represents a change concerning the treatment of youthful offenders and is based on the following principles: young people should bear responsibility for the illegal acts they commit, young offenders may require supervision, discipline, and control, they require guidance and assistance, other methods than the formal court process should be considered when dealing with young offenders, young people have rights and freedoms, and parents have the responsibility for the care and supervision of their child. The legislation revised the age limits regarding criminal responsibility, emphasized the need for protection of the society from juvenile crime, and the need for young offenders to be accountable for their actio...

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....ca/eng/cj-jp/yj-jj/ycja-lsjpa/sheets-feuillets/syp-dpaa.html.

“The Effects of Prison Sentences on Recidivism.” Public Works and Government Services
Canada. Accessed January 21, 2014. http://www.prisonpolicy.org/scans/e199912.htm.

“The Youth Criminal Justice Act Summary and Background.” Government of Canada. Accessed
January 17, 2014. http://www.justice.gc.ca/eng/cj-jp/yj-jj/ycja-lsjpa/back-hist.html.

“Youth and Criminal Justice Act.” Government of Canada. Accessed January 17, 2014. http://www.justice.gc.ca/eng/cj-jp/yj-jj/ycja-lsjpa/index.html. “Youth court statistics in Canada, 2010/2011.” Government of Canada. Accessed January
17, 2014. http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/85-002-x/2012001/article/11645-eng.htm.

“Youth Crime and Punishment: Countering the claims.” The John Howard Society. Accessed
January 21, 2014. http://www.johnhoward.on.ca/pdfs/fctsh-4.pdf.

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