Youth Lawyers in Toronto
If you, or your son or daughter, has been charged with a youth offence, you are not alone. In 2014/2015, there were 2,667 cases that were dealt with in the Ontario Youth Court.
Just because you have been charged, does not mean you will be found guilty. In 2014/2015, only 44% of youth cases resulted in a finding of guilt in Ontario. You can greatly increase your chances of being one of the 56% who are not found guilty by hiring one of our skilled criminal defence lawyers. Indeed, the vast majority of our cases result in a positive result for our client.
The Youth Criminal Justice Act (YCJA)
The Youth Criminal Justice Act adopts all the offences of the Criminal Code, but the YCJA modifies the Criminal Code to make special rules for individuals aged 12 – 17. Essentially youth are entitled to special treatment throughout the criminal process, and there is a higher emphasis on rehabilitation, monitoring, and reintegration into the community.
With such a high emphasis on rehabilitation, the YCJA creates special punishments, such as Extrajudicial Measures and a Reprimand. Extrajudicial measures are designed to encourage young persons to acknowledge and repair the harm caused to the victim and the community. A reprimand is essentially a stern lecture from a judge. Extrajudicial measures do not result in a finding of guilt, whereas a reprimand occurs after a finding of guilt, but does not result in a permanent criminal record.
One of our skilled criminal defence lawyers can assist in determining whether a one of the YCJA resolutions is an attainable and desirable resolution in your case.
