Youth justice and sentencing in Canada

The issue of youth justice is an important one, and especially in canada. This is because youth in canada commit a proportionately high percentage of the crime in our society. youth in canada (aged 12-18) account for 10 percent of the population, but are responsible for 20 percent of violent crime. Youths are also responsible for a high percentage of property crime - particularly theft. (Fleming et al., 2008: 145-146). This increased youth crime is a trend that has been moving in the wrong direction over the years, and has caused Canadians and the government to revaluate their policy and manner of dealing with youth justice. Since the inception of the Juvenile Delinquents Act in 1908, canada has always treated its youth differently in their justice system. However, this is a system that, over the last century, has experienced many changes, both structurally and philosophically. There have been many shifts in the way that Canadians deal with young offenders, and the principles that underlay the system.