The document discusses several key points about Canada's youth criminal justice system and the Youth Criminal Justice Act (YCJA). It argues that the YCJA focuses on rehabilitation and reintegration of young offenders rather than punishment. It also notes that crime rates among youth have decreased since the YCJA was introduced. The document stresses that the justice system should consider each young offender's circumstances and underlying issues on a case-by-case basis when deciding appropriate consequences.

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. 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.

5. 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.

6. 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.

7. 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.

8. 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.

9. The rates have been decreasing.
Obviously this is insane, but it shows
that we need to look at each crime
carefully.

10. OOH CANADA
Thank you so much for having the YCJA!!!