Young Offenders Services

The youth criminal justice system is different than the adult system, mainly in its objectives and procedures. It is designed to:  

• ensure that youths are treated fairly and that their rights are protected; 
• clearly establish the link between the offending behaviour and its consequences; 
• ensure that those responsible for enforcing the Youth Criminal Justice Act (YCJA) intervene efficiently and fairly to act promptly, given youths’ perception of time. 

The YCJA provides three types of measures for young offenders: 

• extrajudicial measures taken by police officers;  
• extrajudicial sanctions under the responsibility of the provincial director (in Québec, this is the Director of Youth Protection);  
• judicial sanctions under the authority of the Court of Québec. 

In Quebec, provincial directors are also the directors of Youth Protection. At the CBHSSJB, the Young Offenders workers work under the authority of the Department of Youth Protection, and they take charge of assessing and intervening with young persons under YCJA.  

The Youth Criminal Justice Act, a federal law, defines the judicial and extrajudicial intervention framework to follow for youths aged between 12 and 17 who commit an offence under the Criminal Code or other federal laws. 

Young Offenders services are provided throughout Eeyou Istchee. We also collaborate with other Youth Centres for our youth outside of the territory. 

In some cases, the director of Penal and Criminal Prosecutions (DPCP) submits a request for assessment to the director of the Department of Youth Protection, in order to assess the youth’s eligibility for extrajudicial sanctions, instead of the traditional court process. The Young Offender worker is then responsible for monitoring the extrajudicial sanction and informing the DPCP whether the sanction was completed or failed. If the youth does not fulfill the commitments he made as part of the extrajudicial sanction, the Young Offender worker may submit his case to the DPCP to initiate court proceedings. 

In court proceedings, the judge may find the youth guilty of an offence. The judge may then ask the Young Offenders service to prepare a pre-disposition report. The Young Offenders worker is responsible for intervening and monitoring the sentences of youth on supervised probation, delayed placement and supervision, custodial sentences and supervision in the community. 

In their various mandates, they seek, value ​and support parents’ participation in the measures put in place. 

The service can be accessed by calling directly the Young Offenders worker assigned to the youth.

The Quebec Government has published a brochure that provides helpful information:   

“YCJA- Young offenders and the criminal justice system”  
https://publications.msss.gouv.qc.ca/msss/fichiers/2015/15-820-01A.pdf. 

This brochure is mainly aimed at youths, but also at their parents, workers in the health and social services network, and concerned persons in schools and the community. It sets out the broad lines of the Youth Criminal Justice Act (YCJA). It also includes information on the rights of youth and victims.