Fewer Youths Being Jailed in Canada

The number of young offenders going to jail since the introduction of the Youth Criminal Justice Act in April 2003 has dropped dramatically. The National Post reports that the number of young people in Ontario jails is down 20 to 25 percent, and in Alberta the number of accused youths held in custody awaiting trial has gone down about 24 percent.

The Youth Criminal Justice Act replaced the widely unpopular Young Offenders Act. The emphasis of the new act is on rehabilitation and using measures outside the regular court process and jail system. Not everyone is happy with the new act, and it is still too early to tell what the impact will be. One thing is clear though - there is already a shortage of rehabilitation programs and personnel required to implement the changes resulting from the Youth Criminal Justice Act.
More: Law in Canada