DOING JUSTICE IN CANADA - YOA POLICIES THAT CAN PROMOTE COMMUNITY SAFETY

Seldom in Canada has legislation provoked such a negative response as has the Young Offenders Act (YOA). As youth crime increases and the me dia highlights violent crime, the public increases its call for revisi ons to the law. Primarily these demands are focused upon harsher sente ncing as a means of promoting community safety. This article focuses o n two YOA issues; consent to treatment and the use of custody. In the opinion of the authors, the implementation of these two factors has li mited the ability of the youth justice system to respond meaningfully to youth crime. The authors draw upon recent reviews of effective prog ramming in juvenile justice to highlight the need for changes to the Y OA.