Youth justice and health: An argument against proposed changes to the Youth Criminal Justice Act | Zendy

April Elliott | Zendy; Debra K. Katzman | Zendy

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Youth justice and health: An argument against proposed changes to the Youth Criminal Justice Act

Author(s) -

April Elliott,

Debra K. Katzman

Publication year - 2011

Publication title -

paediatrics and child health

Language(s) - English

Resource type - Journals

SCImago Journal Rank - 0.55

H-Index - 43

eISSN - 1918-1485

pISSN - 1205-7088

DOI - 10.1093/pch/16.7.414

Subject(s) - criminology , economic justice , criminal justice , argument (complex analysis) , mental health , convention on the rights of the child , psychology , political science , human rights , convention , law , psychiatry , medicine

The Canadian Paediatric Society is deeply concerned about the negative effects on the developmental, psychological and emotional health of young offenders if the Youth Criminal Justice Act is amended as proposed. Changing Canada's youth crime law to achieve stiffer sentences for youth 14 years of age and older who are convicted of serious violent offences is contrary to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. Treating adolescents as adults puts them at serious health and human rights risks - including trauma, violence and abuse - and interferes with their overall development. Furthermore, rates of mental illness are higher among youth in custody. Youth should only serve their sentence in a facility that is exclusively limited to youth, and considers the rights of youth as well as their mental, physical, developmental and educational needs.

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