Factors affecting the referral of young offenders for medical and psychological assessment under the Young Offenders Act

Abstract

Section 13(1) of the Young Offenders Act (YOA) provides only a vague description of the circumstances that warrant referral of a youth for medical and psychological -----assessment. Judges must therefore make referral decisions with little explicit guidance, basing them upon factors that remain largely unknown. Court records of 190 youths (95 referred, 95 non-referred) were examined for demographic and criminal case variables that distinguish referred from non-referred youths. Referred individuals tended to be white youths --charged -. with . several offences4 at least one of which was an offence against person. y Referred youths had substantial behavioural and psychological problems, becoming court /-_-involved at a younger age than non-referred youths. \youths perceived as high risk for \---recidivism are more likely to be referred; furthermore, courts enact clinic recommendations to support disposition decisions (custody vs. community) more frequently than they enact specific recommendations for treatment. Amendments to s. 13