Author Description

One of the most controversial social policies in Canadian history is the Young Offenders Act of 1984. To some it represents a more enlightened and more humane approach to the rights of young persons before the law; to others it offers unwarranted protection to those who least deserve it - those who commit crimes. Still others feel the new legislation strikes a resounding chord for the necessity of making offenders responsible and accountable for their behaviour. The essays in this volume explore the impact of this legislation on Canadian juvenile justice from the perspective of lawyers, policy-makers, researchers, and other professionals involved in the court system. Among the areas discussed are the theoretical framework for the policy; the impact on law and social-service practitioners; and the impact on clients. Mr. Justice Archambault, who wrote the foreword, was appointed by the federal government in the late 1960s to review the juvenile justice system as it was then operating. His investigation laid the groundwork for the Young Offenders Act; his perspective, and the essays that make up the body of the volume, provide a comprehensive overview, not only of the current legislation, but of the legal and social-service systems that it supports.