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Young people are treated quite differently than adults by the criminal justice system. This is because it is understood that young people lack the experience and judgment of adults; they are not fully mature and have not yet developed their adult identities. As a general rule, they make more mistakes and are more easily rehabilitated than adults.
There are special rules that apply to youth cases, at every stage from investigation to arrest to the way they are handled by police and the courts. Even the punishment for crimes is different. There is even special legislation dealing with these cases, called the Youth Criminal Justice Act (YCJA), which completely updated and modernized the old Young Offenders’ Act.
Youth offences require an experienced criminal lawyer that will help protect the accused person’s liberty and future.