SHOULD THE JUSTICE

SYSTEM BE HARDER ON

YOUNG OFFENDERS ????SAADIA (SAAJAA) SULTANA

THINK ABOUT THESE 3 POINTS DURING THE PRESENTATION…

• THE AGE GROUP OF THE YOUNG OFFENDERS IS VERY VULNERABLE.

• HOW CAN WE MODIFY AND IMPROVE OUR JUSTICE SYSTEM?

• THERE IS PROOF THAT THE CRIME RATES OF THE YOUTHS, IS DECREASING EVER SINCE THE YCJA.

BE THANKFUL FOR THE CANADIAN JUSTICE SYSTEM…

• ARE KIDS REALLY “GETTING AWAY WITH IT” IN EVERY SINGLE SITUATION…?

• HOW WILL MAKING THE RULES HARSHER HELP THE SOCIETY, VICTIM AND THE OFFENDER?

• THE YOUNG OFFENDER IS STILL APART OF SOCIETY AS A WHOLE AND HAS THE RIGHT TO BE INCLUDED.

THE YOUTH CRIMINAL JUSTICE ACT (YCJA)

• A CHILD IS ALWAYS A CHILD, AND IS DESERVING OF A BETTER FUTURE NO MATTER HOW FAR OUT OF REACH IT IS.

• WORKS TO REHABILITATE AND REINTEGRATE YOUNG OFFENDERS BACK INTO SOCIETY.

• WORKS TO HELP YOUNG OFFENDERS RATHER THAN PUNISH THEM.

HOW CAN THE UNDERLYING ISSUES EFFECT THE CONSEQUENCE OF EACH YOUNG OFFENDER?

• WHAT EVERY CHILD NEEDS IS HELP.

• INVOLVEMENT OF THE COMMUNITY, UNDERSTANDING AND TREATMENT IS THE ANSWER.

• EVERY CASE IS DIFFERENT WITH DIFFERENT INFORMATION, WHICH IS AN IMPORTANT FACTOR WHEN DECIDING THE CONSEQUENCES.

• THE CONSEQUENCES GIVEN NEED TO STICK IN THE YOUTHS HEADS, SO THAT THEY DON’T RETURN TO COURT AS ADULTS.

THE RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF SOCIETY AS A WHOLE… Rights Responsibilities

We have the right to feel safe. We have the responsibility to help others feel safe.

We have the right to receive help when needed.

We have the responsibility to give help to those who need it.

We have the right to be treated fairly. We have the responsibility to treat others fairly.

HARSHER ISN’T ALWAYS BETTER….• WHAT IS FAIRNESS TO YOU?

• A HARSHER JUSTICE SYSTEM WOULD BE MORE FROM YOUTHS THAN THEY CAN GIVE.

• THINK OF IT AS EXPECTING A CHILD TO WALK UP ON ITS TWO FEET BEFORE LEARNING TO CRAWL. IT WOULD BE FAIR.

• YOUR DECISIONS DEFINE WHO YOU ARE. THIS QUOTE CAN BE LOOKED AT FROM MANY DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES. WHEN THE YOUNG OFFENDERS TAKE STEPS AND MAKE DECISIONS TO IMPROVE THEIR ATTITUDES AND THEIR FUTURES ARE WHAT SHOULD DEFINE THEM, NOT THEIR PAST. THEY TOOK THAT LEAP TO HELP THEMSELVES AND SOCIETY. REMEMBER THAT THERE ARE SO MANY SITUATIONS AND SOMETIMES THE OFFENDER ISN’T THE BAD GUY…AT HEART.

PUT YOURSELVES IN THEIR SHOES…• THE YOUTH NEED A PLACE TO THINK AND RECEIVE HELP. A JAIL CELL DOESN’T HELP IN THIS

SITUATION.

• IF YOU WERE TOLD TO SIT IN A ROOM AND THINK OF WHAT YOU HAVE DONE, WHOULD YOU BE ABLE TO?

• WOULD YOU REALLY BE ABLE TO SEE HOW IT HAD EFFECTED THE PEOPLE AROUND YOU?

• NO, YOU WOULDN’T. THE YOUNG OFFENDERS NEED MOTIVATION TO TAKE THE STEPS NEEDED TO REACH A BRIGHTER FUTURE. THEY CANT MAKE UP FOR THEIR ACTIONS SITTING IN A JAIL CELL. THEY NEED TO TALK ABOUT IT, AND LOOK THE CONSEQUENCES AS MORE THAN SITTING IN A JAIL CELL, WHERE FOOD AND CLOTHING IS PROVIDED FOR YOU. THEY NEED TO LEARN HOW TO DEAL WITH PROBLEMS WITHOUT BREAKING THE LAW. THEY CANT LEARN ALL OF THAT IN JAIL. WE WILL ONLY BE PAY MORE TAXES.

The rates have been decreasing.

Obviously this is insane, but it shows that we need to look at each crime carefully.

OOH CANADA

Thank you so much for having the YCJA!!!