Essay/Term paper: Young offenders act in canada

Essay, term paper, research paper:  Politics

Young Offenders Act in Canada


The subject of young offenders in our troubled society has been one that
has generated many hours of thought and meditation for concerned members. It is
felt by many that the change needed in the area of delinquency within the First
Nations culture is to overcome the effects of colonization and this must begin
with the youth. It is with the youth that the future of the culture lies.
There has been extensive research done in this area and although much of
the material is not directed at one specific culture in society, the facts
remain that it is a problem that is growing in epidemic proportions. Many of the
programs that exist in society today do not address the problems associated with
young offenders of specific cultures. Although the trend is moving in a
direction that addresses programs for specific cultural groups much more
emphasis must be put on these programs.
For First Nations youth that are locked into the juvenile system, there
must be alternative treatment programs made available that deal with the
problems associated with the colonization process that generations of First
Nations people have been subjected to. The process of decolonization will only
be achieved through education, understanding, and perseverance, and this can
only be achieved by First Nations people working with First Nations people.
As indicated earlier much research has been done on the problems
associated with young offenders and the current treatment programs. In the
following research some of the most recent and important pieces have been used
and to eliminate repetition much has been deemed unnecessary.

Bibliography

Cooke, David J., Baldwin, Pamela J., Howison, Jacqueline. (1990).
Psychology in Prisons. London: Routledge.


In the second chapter of this book the authors explain in detail the
psychology of criminal behavior and how it develops at a young age. Early
environment of the adolescent, along with socio-economic status of the young
offenders are but a few of the possibilities explored in this book. The authors
explore the many influences that can shape the lives of young people, the
influences of feelings and thoughts, others behavior, and surroundings, are all
thought to shape the minds of the young offender. This publication will be
primarily used to explore the history and causes of the subject of young
offenders.

Davidson II, William S., Rednor, Robin,. (1990). Alternative Treatments
for Troubled Youth: The Case of Diversion From
The Justice System. New York: Plenum Press.


This publication presents the findings of a research study done on
alternative interventions with delinquent youth. The authors goal in writing
this book was to describe an alternative intervention model and to examine its
workability in the existing system. The authors in their research show that the
intervention programs in the past have been ones of failure. It is believed that
the success of intervention programs must be researched in such a way that all
variables are considered before a program is to be implemented. One of the major
problems discovered in their findings is the lack of professionalism in the
implementation of these intervention programs, hence many of the programs
operating today are destined for failure.

Griffiths, Curt T., Verdun-Jones, Simon N. (1994). Canadian Criminal Justice.
Toronto: Harcourt Brace.

This publication is a prime source of material as it covers a multitude
of areas pertaining to young offenders. This book addresses some of the cultural
issues such as policing and community aspects of the troubled youth. The author
takes a close look into sensitizing the criminal system and addresses the
problems of cultural awareness for the justice personnel. There is an excellent
chapter in the book that looks at programs for youth in different parts of the
country and explores the possibilities of alternative programs targeted for
marginal peoples.

Ottawa, Canada. (1993). Dept. of Justice. Toward Safer Communities: Violent
and Repeat Offending by Young People.


This journal was presented in an attempt to help the government re-
establish their stand that they are addressing the problems of young offenders
in the community. This publication was primarily focused toward strengthening
the governments stand that they are moving in a forward direction. The material
in the journal primarily points in the direction that the age for young
offenders should be lowered for some offences and that stiffer penalties should
be invoked for many repeat offenders. It was clear that this would be an
excellent piece of material to use as a basis for the argument that the
government is not moving in a positive direction to address the problems of
repeat young offenders.

Ottawa, Canada. (1986). Canadian Association for Children and Adults with
Learning Disabilities. Learning Disabilities and the Young Offenders: Arrest to
Disposition.


This publication investigates how the young offenders act in many ways
does not address adequately the special problems that some young offenders are
faced with. Like those of the population with learning disabilities many young
people are processed through the system without knowing the importance of these
actions. It is made clear that even though the young offender is accompanied by
a parent or adult, in some cases the parent or guardian also does not have the
ability of understanding the seriousness and the legalities of the situation the
child is in. The authors of this paper make it clear that there are some serious
problems with this system and that safe guards must be implemented to ensure
that as few as possible cases of this type slip through the system. This
publication is an important piece as it shows clearly that improved systems are
needed in dealing with the young offender, and that much of the process should
be initiated within the family and community.

Toronto, Canada. Canadian Bar Association - Continuing Legal Education.
"Saturday, November 14, 1992." The Young Offenders Act: significant trends for
the 90s.


The articles that were presented in this issue is primarily directed at
the increasing need for community involvement in the issue of juvenile
delinquency and reforms necessary to control this problem. The articles tend to
lead the reader to see that the community must become involved in the control of
the young people. With the rise in juvenile crime it is a problem that evolves
with each new law that is designed to protect the public. What was once a
question of young teenagers has become a problem of children from the ages of
seven years and up. One of the articles stated that each community should resume
control of their young people and work with the families so that they can become
more educated in the treatments and skills necessary to curb this problem. This
article is important to this research as the information provided confirms the
fact that the management of the young offenders must start in the home and
community.

Shwartz, Ira M. (1989). (In) Justice For Juveniles: Re-Thinking The Best
Interests of The Child. Toronto: Lexington Books.

The author of this book has worked in the juvenile justice area for over
twenty years and has discovered that there is much needed work to be done to
develop equality for juvenile offenders. The author believes that the juvenile
system lacks the due process given to many of the adult offenders and therefore
the rights of juveniles are violated on a regular basis. The author describes
how rights are abused, the conditions of confinement, and how abuses and
unprofessional practises are commonplace in detention facilities. This is an
excellent publication that provides a factual basis for the need to develop
treatment programs that are more in tune to the needs of the juvenile offender.


Ueling, Harold F. (1973). Correction of a Correctional Psychologist in
Treatment of the Criminal Offender. Springfield: Charles C.
Thomas Publishing.


The author of this book looks deeply into the need for evaluation and
treatment of offenders at an early age. The author makes a stand that there are
deep rooted problems within society that do not address the problems of youth.
It is through this belief that the author sees the need to evaluate behavior
traits of the young people at an early age. This publication will be useful in
stating a case that treatment for criminal behavior should be initiated with the
young people of society.

West, Gordon W. (1984). Young Offenders and The State: A Canadian Perspective
on Delinquency. Toronto: Harcourt Brice.


The author of this book looks at the effects of labeling the young
people and trapping them into a life of conflict. The book also addresses the
theory of sociological effects on delinquency. The author addresses some of the
current treatment programs and also the lack of cultural approaches to the
problems of young offenders. This is one of the publications that will be of use
in examining the current treatment programs to explore the needs of new programs
that meet the needs of society.

Wood, Arthur Evans; Waite, John Baker. (1941). Crime And Its
Treatment. New York: American Book Company.


Although this publication dates back the authors have made some valid
discoveries in the approaches to the problems of crime and delinquency that have
not changed over the years. The authors investigate the theory of the practice
of punishment and delves into the extra-mural form of treatment like probation.
The authors also make some concrete conclusions as to early interventions such
as education, early diagnosis of mental disorders, and the strengthening of
institutions such as the home, the church, and the school.