Godkin-Youth Criminal Justice Act Terms

Juvenile Delinquent Act (JDA)

An act used to govern young offenders from 1908 to 1984

Young Offenders Act (YOA)

An act used to govern young offenders which replaced the Juvenile Delinquents Act

Youth Criminal Justice Act (YCJA)

An act used to govern young offenders which replaced the Young Offenders Act

Training School

A facility used for Juvenile Delinquents

Juvenile Delinquent

A term used to describe offenders under the JDA

Extra-Judicial Sanctions

A program used to keep young offenders, who have taken responsibility for their actions, out of the court system

Incapacity of Children

The inability of children under the age of 12 to form the mens rea of a crime

Custody and Supervision Order

An order requiring a youth to serve 2/3 of a sentence in a controlled facility and 1/3 in the community under supervision

Open Custody

Includes group homes and wilderness camps

Secure Custody

A facility for young offenders with no access to the community

Cecil Facer

A secure facility for young offenders

Youth Worker

A person who monitors young offenders

Youth Justice Court

A court for young persons accused of a crime

Specific Deterrence

A sentence meant to deter a convicted person from re-offending

General Deterrence

A sentence meant to deter society from committing an offence

Retribution

To get even

Segregation

To remove a convicted person from society in order to protect society

Rehabilitation

To change the behaviour of a convicted person

Prevalence of the Crime

When a crime becomes a problem in a community

Mitigating Circumstances

Circumstances which would lessen a sentence

Aggravating Circumstances

Circumstances which would increase a sentence

Concurrent Sentence

When 2 or more sentences are served at the same time

Consecutive Sentence

When 2 or more sentences are served one after the other

Intermittent Sentence

A sentence served on weekends or weeknights

Dangerous Offender

A classification given to an offender who has committed a serious personal injury offence and is a threat to the safety of others

Suspended Sentence

A sentence that is not served if a person follows a probation order - will have a criminal record

Probation

An order that an offender keep the peace and follow other conditions instead of a prison sentence

Restitution

To pay back a victim

Suspension of Privileges

A sentence where a person would lose a privilege such as a drivers license

Absolute Discharge

A sentence where a person is deemed not to have committed the offence and will not have a criminal record

Conditional Discharge

A sentence where a person is deemed not to have committed the offence and will not have a criminal record as long as conditions are followed

Community Service

A sentence where a person will have to perform a certain number of hours working in the community

Deportation

When a person who is not a Canadian citizen is returned to his/her country of origin

Capital Punishment

The death penalty

Life Sentence

25 years

Restorative Justice Program

A program for sentencing offenders which focuses on healing relationships

Sentencing Circle

Aboriginal Circle where the offender, victim, their families, and others recommend a punishment for the offender

Healing Circle

Aboriginal Circle where the victim and offender try to resolve their conflict

Releasing Circle

Aboriginal Circle where the offender, community, and National Parole Board prepare a plan for the return of the offender to the community

Victim-Offender Mediation

The victim and offender meet with a mediator to resolve their differences

Family Group Conferencing

The offender, victim, their families, and others meet to resolve differences

Victim-Offender Panels

A panel of victims and offenders express their feelings about the offence

Victim-Impact Panel

Enables victims and victim's families to share the impact the crime has had on them

Temporary Absence

An inmate is allowed to leave for up to several days for humanitarian reasons

Statutory Remission

An inmate is credited with time off automatically after entering prison

Earned Remission

An inmate is credited with time off for good behaviour

Day Parole

An inmate is allowed to leave prison for the day

Recidivist

A repeat offender

Parole

When an inmate is released before the end of his/her sentence

Bonding

Insurance on a persons honesty