Lecture 11: Young Offenders

What is the age of criminal responsibility in Canada?

12 years

Young offenders are aged?

12-17

Prior to the age of 12-17, who is considered to have primary responsibility for their crime?

child's carer, guardian, and/or parent

Approximately blank of the youth population has been accused of committing a crime?

6%

Youth offenders are more likely to commit crimes than people who are over blank

25

Youth offending has been on a general blank

decline

Youth offenders are more likely to blank compared to adults

co-offend (42%)

• involvement in gorup crime

Characteristics of Youth Offending

• higher likelihood of suspension, expulsion, and truancy, as well as general school difficulties.

• Early impulsiveness, poor child-rearing, family stressors, and separation from parents are all predictors of offending.

• High rates of mental health issues (up to 90%) in incarcerated youth

High rates of mental health issues (up to 90%) in incarcerated youth, including blank & blank

conduct disorder; substance use disorders

Pre-pandemic Offending Trends

• The majority of crimes committed were property crimes.

  • E.g., theft under $5000 and mischief.

• Boys and girls were accused of similar crimes.

Post-pandemic Offending Trends

• the majority of crimes are violent.

• Boys (30%) are twice as likely as girls (15%) to engage in violent behaviour.

• crime rate and severity remain lower than pre-pandemic levels

blank of youth report engaging in 1 or more delinquent behaviours

37%

What age for youth offenders have peak of risk-taking?

18

Age-Crime Curve

A bell curve showing the prevalence of offending rising from late childhood, peaking in young adulthood, and declining after age 25.

A bell curve showing the prevalence of offending rising from late childhood, peaking in young adulthood, and declining after age 25. - Why?

“aging out” of crime because of life transitions

• e.g., employment, marriage, changing environments.

Changes in Adolescence

• Puberty and increase in sexual activity.

• Impulsivity and risk-taking.

• Cognitive development and self-awareness.

• Anger and dissatisfaction.

• Independence and freedom of movement.

• Behavioural experimentation.

• Exposure to alcohol & drugs.

• Importance of peer relationships

Youth justice system is based on the principle of?

diminished moral blameworthiness or culpability of young person

1300s-1600s

held to adult standards if they had hit puberty or if malice was proven.

1600s

kids under 7 couldn’t be held criminally liable.

1800s

juvenile deviance = disease caused by uncontrollable forces

• Punishment < Therapy

• Created the first Juvenile Delinquent’s Act

Reasons for Youth Criminal Justice Act

• Period of change and risk

• Competencies in youth

• Adolescence and stress

• Mood disorders

• Planning judgement and decision making

• Substance abuse and addiction

• Developmental differences

• Understanding of the consequences

Police officers are encouraged to use blank when dealing with minor offences.

discretion

Police should consider:

• Verbal warnings or cautions

• Referrals to community programs

• Extrajudicial measures

Police overall prioritize blank

diversion

Extrajudicial Measures & Sanctions

Prioritizing the use of extrajudicial measures (e.g., warnings) and sanctions (e.g., community service) when the behaviour is non-violent, and there is no criminal record.

Youth Court

ensures privacy for cases by preventing public audiences and publications, fostering an environment focused on understanding and rehabilitation.

Sentencing

Judges must prioritize less restrictive sentencing options (e.g., reprimands, community service) and consider the youth's needs, responsibility, and potential for change.

Criminal Records

guilty convictions are temporary, remaining open for a specified time, such as 5 years for indictable offenses.

Goals of Youth Sentencing

• rehabilitate

• make reparations

• acknowledge harm

• denounce

• deter

• separate

In very serious cases, the Crown can apply to have a youth sentenced when: Offence is blank (e.g., murder, manslaughter, aggravated sexual assault)

violent or serious

In very serious cases, the Crown can apply to have a youth sentenced when: The youth is at least blank years old

14

In very serious cases, the Crown can apply to have a youth sentenced when: The Crown believes?

youth sentence would not be sufficient

What happens when a youth is sentenced as an adult?

they would face adult penalties (e.g., life in prison) but would not go to an adult institution while under 18.

How are life-course-persistent offenders characterized?

childhood predictors and behavioural problems

life-course-persistent offenders have a higher risk for?

later delinquent and adult criminal behaviour

What is the proportion of life-course-persistent offenders?

small; <10%

When do adolescent-limited offenders begin offending?

teen years

• don’t have childhood antisocial and behavioural problems.

adolescent-limited offenders → delinquency = ?

normative and influenced by peers

blank is the most common type of offending

adolescent-limited offenders

Psychosocial Maturity is a framework for?

understanding adolescent judgment and decision making

According to Psychosocial Maturity, decision-making is impacted by 3 capacities:

• responsibility

• temperance

• perspective

Pathways to Youth Offending

• prenatal risks

• childhood PDs

• childhood temperament

• childhood maltreatment

• adolescent onset

Big 5 Treatment Needs

• Antisocial/ deviant attitudes, thoughts, and feelings

• Antisocial peer associations

• Chemical dependencies and use

• Antisocial behaviours such as lying, stealing, and aggression

• Self-control, self-management, and problem-solving

Small 9 Treatment Needs

• Increase exposure to prosocial peers

• Leisure time

• Increase prosocial behaviour such as honesty and respect

• Assist with safety plans and the prevention of victimization

• Encourage family affections and communication

• Encourage family monitoring and supervision

• Increase mental acuity in recognizing and coping with risky situations

• Overcoming personal and circumstantial barriers to accessing services and making lifestyle changes

• Working towards educational and vocational goals

Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy

Helps youth to identify and modify cognitions that affect their offending behaviour.

• Targets cognitive skills to recognize problematic thoughts, anger management, and conflict resolution.

What effects does Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy have on youth offenders?

• Reducing recidivism

• Reducing conduct problems

Why is CBT not enough for Youth Offenders?

it does not address systemic issues (e.g., family, relationship, school).

blank & blank are thought to mediate child problems

family features; processes

Family features and processes are thought to mediate child problems, suggests that an effective intervention should influence blank

family factors

Children’s delinquent behaviour is developed and maintained through?

maladaptive family interactions, structures, and patterns

• (e.g., promotion of aggression, coercive exchanges)

blank effectively reduce youth offending, leading to less delinquent behaviour and lower recidivism rates.

family-based interventions

Family-Based Interventions

• involving parents and caregivers is crucial for better outcomes; family support is more beneficial than reliance on practitioners.

• Cultural background is important; interventions should be tailored to communities, particularly for Indigenous and ethnic minority youth, and should take into account their collective experiences.

Functional Family Therapy combines blank & blank approaches

CBT; Family Systems

Functional Family Therapy in Action

12-14 sessions over 3-5 months that focus on improving family dynamics and positive coping skills.

Functional Family Therapy is Strengths-based, non-blaming approach that follows three phases:

• engagement & motivation

• behaviour change

• generalization

How has Multi-systemic Therapy developed into?

a robust programme with strict performance protocols that can be taken up at the local level as a framework for service delivery.

Multi-systemic Therapy found?

18–25% reduction in delinquent behaviour

• Most effective for justice-involved youth under 15 and those at severe risk

Multi-systemic Therapy - blank are a notable gap

cultural considerations

• Minority ethnic youth face barriers, including therapist-client cultural mismatch and differing worldviews

blank are more effective than generic mentoring

targeted approaches

The Mendota Juvenile Treatment Center

• A secure psychiatric facility in Wisconsin for aggressive, hard-to-treat adjudicated boys, operating since 1995

• A hybrid model combining maximum-security corrections and a psychiatric hospital led by clinicians.

  • All staff fulfill both therapeutic and security roles.

• Serves youth averaging 15.5 years old, with over 90% having 4+ adverse childhood experiences; 50% involved in crime before age 10.

  • No exclusion criteria for youth others cannot manage.

The Mendota Juvenile Treatment Center is based on?

• social learning theory

• defiance theory

• the "decompression model

The Mendota Juvenile Treatment Key Elements

• Depression Model

• Behavioural Assessment System

• Today-Tomorrow Programme

• Direct Treatment

• Physical Environment

• Critical Incident Reviews

5 guiding principles Behavioural Assessment System

• continuity

• clarity

• simplicity

• relevance

• integrity

Does The Mendota Juvenile Treatment work?

• Violent recidivism was reduced nearly by half

• Strongest improvements occurred in interpersonal relationships, emphasizing relational over individual trait correction.

Ethical Issues with Youth Offenders

• Informed consent

• Self-harm/ poor coping

• Consent to share information with parents, schools, etc.

• Confidentiality and reporting of abuse

• Who has access to records?

• Culturally sensitive treatment

• Offenders vs. in need of help

• Voluntary treatment?