Youth Offences

The Youth Criminal Justice Act regulates criminal offences committed by youths between 12 and 18 years old. The court justice system implements special safeguards to treat youth offenders in order to protect their rights. The key principle of the Youth court is to rehabilitate and reintegrate the youth back into society.

Rehabilitation is essential and incarceration is limited to extremely serious offences and circumstances. The aim of the YCJA is to provide youth offended with alternative measures to better themselves and to address their underlying behaviours and issues to then be able to contribute back to society.