If you were a young offender of a misdemeanor would it be harsh for the judge to treat them as if they were an adult? Would you think by giving them equal consequences it could make their whole future more challenging? The YCJA (youth criminal justice act) is positive legislation that must be upheld but should be amended when it comes to violent crimes. This act allows for youth offenders who are less mature to not be exposed and have a second chance for a bright future. At the same time giving them a fair, long consequence to teach them a lesson. Some suggest that by giving them a more adult like punishment it would force the young offenders into not repeating their actions again. Are they right? Do we need to make changes to this act to accommodate the opinion of these people?
Some may argue that the judges are too merciful and that the young offenders and adults should be treated equally. This is because they think the offenders aren’t getting a “Harsh” enough punishment. Thus causing them to just go back and repeat their actions, and may even be escalated to more violent crimes causing the safety of the community to decrease. They are wrong because adolescent offenders are generally more immature and most likely more peer pressured into committing crimes. They are quick to act and don’t think ahead before they say or do something that might affect them in the long run.
YCJA Good … and Bad?
If you were a young offender of a misdemeanor would it be harsh for the judge to treat them as if they were an adult? Would you think by giving them equal consequences it could make their whole future more challenging? The YCJA (youth criminal justice act) is positive legislation that must be upheld but should be amended when it comes to violent crimes. This act allows for youth offenders who are less mature to not be exposed and have a second chance for a bright future. At the same time giving them a fair, long consequence to teach them a lesson. Some suggest that by giving them a more adult like punishment it would force the young offenders into not repeating their actions again. Are they right? Do we need to make changes to this act to accommodate the opinion of these people?
Some may argue that the judges are too merciful and that the young offenders and adults should be treated equally. This is because they think the offenders aren’t getting a “Harsh” enough punishment. Thus causing them to just go back and repeat their actions, and may even be escalated to more violent crimes causing the safety of the community to decrease. They are wrong because adolescent offenders are generally more immature and most likely more peer pressured into committing crimes. They are quick to act and don’t think ahead before they say or do something that might affect them in the long run.
YCJA Good … and Bad?
If you were a young offender of a misdemeanor would it be harsh for the judge to treat them as if they were an adult? Would you think by giving them equal consequences it could make their whole future more challenging? The YCJA (youth criminal justice act) is positive legislation that must be upheld but should be amended when it comes to violent crimes. This act allows for youth offenders who are less mature to not be exposed and have a second chance for a bright future. At the same time giving them a fair, long consequence to teach them a lesson. Some suggest that by giving them a more adult like punishment it would force the young offenders into not repeating their actions again. Are they right? Do we need to make changes to this act to accommodate the opinion of these people?
Some may argue that the judges are too merciful and that the young offenders and adults should be treated equally. This is because they think the offenders aren’t getting a “Harsh” enough punishment. Thus causing them to just go back and repeat their actions, and may even be escalated to more violent crimes causing the safety of the community to decrease. They are wrong because adolescent offenders are generally more immature and most likely more peer pressured into committing crimes. They are quick to act and don’t think ahead before they say or do something that might affect them in the long run.
YCJA Good … and Bad?
If you were a young offender of a misdemeanor would it be harsh for the judge to treat them as if they were an adult? Would you think by giving them equal consequences it could make their whole future more challenging? The YCJA (youth criminal justice act) is positive legislation that must be upheld but should be amended when it comes to violent crimes. This act allows for youth offenders who are less mature to not be exposed and have a second chance for a bright future. At the same time giving them a fair, long consequence to teach them a lesson. Some suggest that by giving them a more adult like punishment it would force the young offenders into not repeating their actions again. Are they right? Do we need to make changes to this act to accommodate the opinion of these people?
Some may argue that the judges are too merciful and that the young offenders and adults should be treated equally. This is because they think the offenders aren’t getting a “Harsh” enough punishment. Thus causing them to just go back and repeat their actions, and may even be escalated to more violent crimes causing the safety of the community to decrease. They are wrong because adolescent offenders are generally more immature and most likely more peer pressured into committing crimes. They are quick to act and don’t think ahead before they say or do something that might affect them in the long run.
You May Also Find These Documents Helpful
-
The YCJA is a federal law that came into force on April 1st, 2003. It applies to all Canadian youths from ages 12 to 17. The YCJA is an ineffective law as, between Young offender rights and Public safety, Public safety is more significant by a huge margin. For instance, let's look at the “Media Ban” policy and how it doesn’t do enough to ensure public safety. The Media Ban policy “protects” young offenders names, preventing it to be released to the public unless one receives an adult sentence or is a “high” risk to the public. The “Stettler” case is a good example why this policy is inadequate. Three teenagers were charged with sexual assault and confinement of two girls, ages 12 and 13. Even the Principal, of the School those teenagers…
- 243 Words
- 1 Page
Good Essays -
On April 1, 2003, the YCJA came into force, completely replacing the previous legislation, the YOA. The YCJA introduced significant reforms to address concerns about how the youth justice system had evolved under the YOA. These concerns included the overuse of the courts and incarceration in less serious cases, disparity and unfairness in sentencing, a lack of effective reintegration of young people released from custody, and the need to better take into account the interests of victims. The YCJA provided the legislative framework for a fairer and more effective youth justice system. The amendments adopted by Parliament in 2012 aimed to strengthen the ways in which the youth justice system deals with repeat and violent offenders.…
- 776 Words
- 4 Pages
Good Essays -
Youth ages twelve to seventeen are qualified under the Youth Criminal Justice Act, but ages eighteen and older are under the Criminal Code of Canada. The goal of the YCJA is to provide a fair and efficient youth justice system. How do they continue to keep this goal? The YCJA believes that the protection of society is the most important objective that needs to be practiced through prevention, serious consequences, and reconstruction or rehabilitation.…
- 471 Words
- 2 Pages
Good Essays -
Juveniles in the criminal justice system are a special population. Throughout history juveniles have been looked at as needing to be protected from the harsh realities that face adults daily. The juvenile justice system has primarily operated in a parens patriae capacity and protected the rights of those that were legally incapable of protecting themselves such as minor children and the mentally ill. From 1987-1993 the juvenile homicide rate doubled causing critics and conservatives to questions the approach of the juvenile justice community calling it ‘soft on crime’ Steiner &…
- 3319 Words
- 14 Pages
Best Essays -
The Juvenile Justice System is in place to help protect children because of their age. What appears to be common sense to one person may not be common sense for someone else. When dealing with Juvenile each case should be looked at individually instead of the one pot approach. For example if you have two teenagers the same age (15) that commit the some crime one may be a good candidate for implementing a diversion plan, liberal approach Ex. someone with a learning disorder commit a crime but didn’t know any better. While with the other child you may need to take the more conservative approach. Ex. commit a crime because he or she was bored.…
- 526 Words
- 3 Pages
Good Essays -
A reason why they are fair and equitable is that they give second looks at troubled kids and give them more opportunities to be better in life. The YCJA use rehabilitative methods that help reintegrate youth back into society as normal functioning citizens. They will not allow any youth to have a criminal record because that criminal record will be part of who that individual is. It is a permanent part of your reputation and it will follow you wherever you go. Young people deserve different punishments than adults because they are in the course of developing emotionally, physically and mentally therefore they do not fully comprehend the consequences of their actions. Say if the YCJA was not fair and equitable and it wrongly gave a criminal record to a youth, that criminal record now has the potential to ruin that person’s life. The youth’s well-being and quality of life is affected since a criminal record can make it hard for a youth to re-enter society and also…
- 943 Words
- 3 Pages
Good Essays -
<br>There is, however, debate over the need for change. Some say the current act is much too easy on youths and that they're getting away with too much. There are reasons situations, such as these misinterpreted ones, have come about. The YOA was designed keeping youth protection in mind, and experts in the area tend to refer to the fact that " repeated studies have shown that it is not the severity of punishment which deters crime, but the certainty of it" (Daunt 1998 7). Therefore it is not surprising that thousands of good kids have been helped, and not hindered, by the current legislation on their way to a productive life (Good 1998 171). As well, the current YOA does have serious consequences for violent offenders, many of them ending up in adult court (Daunt 1998…
- 749 Words
- 3 Pages
Good Essays -
I feel, as do many others, that our court system has become much too harsh when it comes to punishing the youth. There is a difference when being tough on crime and giving kids punishments that do not fit the crime. More and more of today’s youth are being sent to adult prisons where they cannot be protected. In a juvenile prison, kids are given second chances. There they learn to right their ways and are sent back out in society where hopefully they will become responsible adults. In adult prisons however, its survival of the fittest. There is no protection for those kids and no one to guide them on the right path. Statistics show that kids sentenced to adult prisons are more likely to end up back behind bars within five years of being released or committing suicide.…
- 756 Words
- 4 Pages
Satisfactory Essays -
There has always been and ongoing debate on whether or not juveniles should be treated the same as adults when it comes to committing crime. Some people feel that they should be treated the same, some feel that they shouldn’t and then there are those that feel that it depends on the crime. Juvenile crime is on the rise at an alarming rate and some feel that there is a lack of remorse on the part of the juveniles because they know that they will only serve a minimum sentence. In New York State the age for a juvenile to be charged as an adult is sixteen some people feel that this is too young to be tried as an adult and others feel that it is not because at this age the difference between…
- 776 Words
- 4 Pages
Good Essays -
Today’s Youth Justice Board came after the 1998 Crime and Disorder Act which passed to prevent young people from offending and re-offending (Home Office 2009). In the 1800’s when it came to punishment for crimes, there was no distinction between adults and children. People thought that the old forms of punishment, such as transportation and overall humiliation, were too severe for children. Mary Carpenter advocated for education rather than prison which introduced the battle between welfare and justice. After the Second World War, the 1969 Children and Young Persons Act, enhanced the importance of the welfare of children and the legal system began to consider both justice and welfare when sentencing a child.…
- 1022 Words
- 5 Pages
Good Essays -
With holding youths accountable in a fair manner, it could make a great contribution to the protection of not only to the youths within society but also the adult citizens. The article youth criminal justice act: new directions and implementation issues (2004) explained that "it can make a contribution to the protection of the public in the long-term. Parliaments references to protection of the public indicate that such protection is a desired long-term outcome or result of the activities of the youth justice system". The article goes on further to explain that the emphasis of protection of youth crime can protect the citizens within society at a greater…
- 1146 Words
- 5 Pages
Good Essays -
A movement has taken hold of our country to change the juvenile justice system, and erase any distinction between young offenders and adult criminals. Almost all fifty states have changed their juvenile justice laws, allowing more youths to be tried as adults and scrapping long-time efforts to help rehabilitate delinquent kids and prevent future crimes. It seems to be plain and simple, a minor in this country is defined as a person under the age of eighteen. How then can we single out certain minors and call them adults? Were they considered adults before they carried out an act of violence? No. How then, did a violent act cause them to cross over a line that is defined by age? The current debate over juvenile crime is being dominated by two voices: elected officials proposing quick-fix solutions, and a media more intent on reporting violent crimes than successful prevention efforts. Minors should not be tried as adults in our society today. This is obvious through looking at propositions by our government such as Proposition 21, which is statistics on juvenile crime from specific cases where minors were sentenced in adult courts.…
- 1427 Words
- 4 Pages
Powerful Essays -
In 2010, juveniles committed 8% of homicides. (PBS 2014) When it comes to trying juveniles as adults, many people think that this is too harsh of a punishment for young criminals, but others think that they should get what they deserve. There is a famous saying “do the crime, do the time”. Our society tends to think that juveniles do not have the mental, and physical stabilities that adults do. Over the years, our society has changed their views and started treating children/juveniles as young adults. Some people think that juveniles should be given a second chance since they are our children of the future, but others disagree and believe that juveniles know what they are doing and that they should be tried as adults. Each juvenile case can be different and should be treated accordingly looking at the severity of the crime. Depending on the crime and the severity of the crime can depict what kind of punishment a juvenile can face.…
- 2034 Words
- 9 Pages
Satisfactory Essays -
A juvenile court system was intentionally created and designed to accommodate offenders under a certain age, who committed certain offenses. Consideration of sentencing was based on future recidivism, and possible rehabilitation for proper functionality within society. Yet, the courts do not appear to be separating this judicial process and are sending these young individuals directly to adult criminal courts as a preemptory strike against the potential for future crimes, as well as the protection of society as a whole (Brink, 2004).…
- 4252 Words
- 18 Pages
Powerful Essays -
Young people who commit serious crimes should be punished in the same way as adults.…
- 868 Words
- 4 Pages
Satisfactory Essays