Youth Criminal Justice Act may replace Y.O.A

Source: (2000) Gazette: A Royal Canadian Mounted Police Publication 62 (4): 17.

In this article, Lenore Richards reports on the substance and status of the Youth Criminal Justice Act in Canada – a bill still in parliamentary committee at the time of writing. The bill, intended to replace the Young Offenders Act, supports the option of community based justice, connects the criminal justice system with emphases on crime prevention through social development (with children and youth as one of the target groups), and reflects current federal approaches toward youth and the law. Some victims’ rights advocates criticize the bill, while representatives of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police claim that it ties in with the RCMP’s youth strategy and crime prevention.