Youth Criminal Justice Act: An Era of Social Reform.

Youth Criminal Justice Act: An Era of Social Reform In 1984 the Young Offenders Act (YOA) was established, it replaced the Juvenile Delinquents Act (JDA) of 1908 and its core objective was to guarantee that the rights and freedoms of Canadian youth were being satisfied. With the passing of the YOA also came extreme revisions and numerous opportunities for Canada's young offenders. The YOA provided youth with extended rights, an abundant number of opportunities for rehabilitation, as …

…legislative direction to assist in achieving a fairer and more effective youth justice system. The combination of the new legislation and important non-legislative elements such as increased federal funding for programs, crime prevention, public and professional education, partnerships with other sectors, and appropriate implementation by provinces and territories can achieve the objectives and thereby create a more effective youth justice system which, in due course, will decrease the number of violent youth crimes in Canada.