Young people’s knowledge of the Young Offenders Act and the youth justice system

Abstract

Underlying the currently harsh criticism of the Young Offenders Act (YOA) is a public perception that young people possess a sophisticated knowledge of the youth justice system that has allowed them to beat the There are virtually no data regarding young people's knowledge of the YOA that would permit an examination of this assumption. Using questionnaire and semi-structured interview techniques, the present study assessed the knowledge of 730 10- to17-year-olds and young adult students from 6 Canadian cities concerning a number of YOA issues, including age boundaries, dispositions, procedures, youth court records, transfer to adult court, roles of legal personnel, etc. Exploratory data were also collected on 30 young offenders from an open custody facility in Toronto. Level of knowledge of students and young offenders varied depending on the particular issue addressed. Both groups demonstrated poor knowledge regarding the disposition of youth court records and critical age boundaries of the YOA. With respect to certain questions (e.g., the role of defence counsel), the pattern of knowledge in young offenders was different from the students and appeared to reflect young offenders' direct experience with the legal system. Age and regional differences in students' knowledge emerged with respect to a number of issues. Implications and limitations of the study are discussed. (Abstract Adapted from Source: Canadian Journal of Criminology, 1998. Copyright © 1998 by the Canadian Criminal Justice Association; the University of Toronto Press) Canada Foreign Countries Juvenile Knowledge Juvenile Perceptions Juvenile Justice System Justice System Perceptions Offender Knowledge Offender Perceptions 08-05