For an increasing and record number of communities in America and now in other countries, youth courts are providing a positive alternative to the juvenile justice system with significant and unexpected favorable outcomes. Youth court is most commonly identified as a juvenile justice program, given that the vast majority of youth cases referred…

This article discusses the provisions of the 1908 "Juvenile Delinquents Act," the first Canadian nationwide legislation addressing the problem of juvenile delinquency, and presents a brief look at major changes that would take effect with the proposed "Young Persons in Conflict with the Law" act. (MJB)

This fact sheet documents the disturbing overrepresentation of status Indian youth in the juvenile justice and child welfare systems of Ontario (Canada). However, the information represents only the tip of the iceberg. Data relate solely to children and youth whose parents resided on an Indian reserve; who were dealt with by the family court (not…

The author examines provisions of Section 8 of the Ontario legislature's "Training Schools Act," (now superseded) which provided criteria for the committal of unmanageable children into state institutions, and examines alternatives to commitment. (MJB)

This fact sheet documents the overrepresentation of status Indian youth in the juvenile justice and child welfare systems of Ontario (Canada). Data are limited to children and youth, age 0-19, whose parents resided on an Indian reserve; who were dealt with by the family court (not criminal court); and whose disposition was probation, training…

This article provides a social-historical background to the movement for recognition of children's rights in the Canadian juvenile justice system by outlining the origins of existing juvenile delinquency legislation in Canada and presenting the philosophies and assumptions about children that were favored by early twentieth-century Canadian…

Schools have expressed a need to know the identity and/or circumstances of young offenders in order to address school safety and security issues, and to provide a collaborative and coordinated case management approach for the rehabilitation of the young person. A framework for the exchange of information between youth justice and school officials…

This information packet presents guidelines developed collaboratively by the Manitoba (Canada) Ministries of Education and Training, Family Services, Health, and Justice for the coordination of services for children/adolescents with severe to profound emotional/behavioral disorders. The protocol mandates a shared interdepartmental multisystem case…

Reflecting the current state of theory and practice in child welfare in Canada, these eight papers suggest a contemporary view of Canadian children and the contexts in which they develop as defined by legal rights and society. First, Henry S. Maas argues that attention to normal social development and its contexts, and to related ongoing theory…

Asserts that the juvenile justice system was created to minimize the adult criminal system's harsh penalties. Discusses the juvenile classification procedure, treatment and punishment, and criteria for judges in the United States, Canada, France, and Japan. Concludes that the U.S. system would be more effective if it incorporated aspects of other…

In recent years, the issue of children's rights has become a focal point of concern and controversy. This collection of papers focuses on children's rights under Canadian laws and in Canadian schools. Papers providing general overviews include "Children's Rights in the Canadian Context" by Chad Gaffield and W. Gordon West and "A…

Northern youth increasingly find themselves in a state of crisis--separated from family and community for the purposes of further education, exposed to the temptations of alcohol and drug abuse and facing the prospect of underemployment, they often come into contact with the justice system at an early age. Fascinated by and indoctrinated with the…

Intended for teachers and practitioners, this film and video guide contains 235 entries pertaining to the administration of justice, culture and lifestyle, and education and services in northern Canada. It is divided into eight sections: Native lifestyle (97 items); economic development (28), rights and self-government (20); education and training…