Too Lenient
When we look closely at the Youth Criminal Justice Act in Canada we can understand how it came to be, and why it was brought in. This act was initially created to protect young offenders from being treated as adults in court, in order to give young offenders, who may not re-offend, the benefit of not being criminally charged for their first non-violent offence.
This act does have its good qualities such as the alternative measures programs. It is designed to help young offenders who may not re-offend, and have only committed minor offences to stay out of court, and not receive a criminal record. This act also prohibits publication of any young person involved in any court proceedings.
This act has been and continues to be the center of debate. Many critics of the act believe the law is too lenient. It is these critics that raise the questions of, “Is the act too lenient”, and “Are changes needed to improve the act?”
Just as the publication ban protects our youth from the media there is one set back from a statistical point of view. It leaves doubt as to the number off repeat offenders that are not being rehabilitated. Personal experience has raised doubt that the act is working properly for me. The following events involving two repeat young offenders changed my opinion with some aspects of the act. While I like the principles of what the act stands for changes are needed to address problems within the act.
The young offenders involved in this incident were two teenage boys. Both boys had previous charges for vehicle theft as well as break and enter. They were on probation at the time they were involved with my vehicle. The two youths had been in my home and during this visit had taken the keys to my van. They returned some time later in the night to take my van. Once they had the vehicle they used it to commit further break and enters, and thefts. Removing the stolen goods with the van, they had taken them to different locations. During this time my vehicle had incurred damage including, body damages, mechanical damages, and my tools had been taken from the vehicle. As a result of the mechanical damages to my vehicle it broke down in the Pine Pass while my daughter and I were traveling to Prince George for a dental visit.
The vehicle then had to be towed to MacKenzie and repaired there as it required a transmission. This incident cost me over two thousand dollars from my own pocket with no help available to me. Being a delivery driver I was out of work for two weeks and had no income because my job required my own vehicle. So from the loss of work, the towing expenses, the costs of shipping a transmission, the labor charges of a mechanic, and the Greyhound Bus rides is how this incident cost me over two thousand dollars. There was never any restitution paid to me for any of these expenses.
The two youths received nothing for committing this crime even though they had admitted to the police, their actions involving my van. When I tried to pursue the matter to seek compensation, I was told that if I continued I would be charged. As a single parent I quite simply could not afford this expense placed on my family. The law is not without a sense of humor though as I received three subpoenas to court in regards to the stolen property that was transported in my van.
It clearly shows that there is a problem in the youth judicial system that needs to be resolved. When repeat young offenders are not being helped, and there are no real consequences for their actions, the Act needs to be changed. Somewhere the rights of the victims have been lost to the rights of the young offenders. This only teaches repeat young offenders that they can continue to commit the same crimes without having to take responsibility for them. It is from this experience that I would say that some parts of the Youth Criminal Justice Act are too lenient. This problem should be addressed in finding a solution to repair the act. Then it would be the asset and aid that it was meant to be in helping our troubled youth.
Wee Word Wizard - Your online editing service