Youth Criminal Defence Lawyer | Young Offender Lawyer Edmonton

If you are a youth charged with a crime, you are constitutionally entitled to a state-paid lawyer regardless of your (or your family’s) ability to pay.

The Youth Criminal Justice Act

The focus of the Youth Criminal Justice Act, unlike the Criminal Code, is the rehabilitation of the young person, not punishment.

The emphasis is on treatment and counselling, with jail being a last resort, except where the crimes are very serious or the offender has a serious criminal record.

Common Charges Related to Youth Offences

The area of youth offence law includes the following possible charges:

Theft
Vandalism
Assault
Disorderly Conduct
Drug and alcohol offences
Truancy (absenteeism from school)

Consequences for Youth Offences

Sentencing depends entirely upon the charge and nature of the crime. Consequences can include community-based sentences or custody and supervision sentences (typically reserved for violent offenders and repeat offenders).

Both options include time in a youth custody facility and a period of community supervision with maximum sentence lengths ranging from 2-10 years.

The Youth Criminal Justice Act does allow judges to impose an adult sentence on youth offenders for serious offences committed when they were 14 years of age or older.

Have You Been Charged With a Youth Offence? Has Your Child Been Charged With a Youth Offence?

Being convicted as a young offender can bring long-term consequences so you must get experienced and proper advice at every stage of the proceedings. Contact the team at DDSG Criminal Law to learn more.

Frequently Asked Questions About Youth Offence Charges in Alberta

If you are a youth who has been charged with committing an offence, you will appear before a judge to have your case heard and for the charges to be read out loud.
It is in court where you have an opportunity to plead “guilty” or “not guilty”. If you plead guilty, the judge will decide on your punishment without a trial.

If you plead not guilty, the court will set a trial date where witnesses will be questioned by the Crown Prosecutor and your Defence lawyer about what they know about the crime. After trial, if the judge decides you are guilty, they will decide your sentence. If you are found not guilty, you are free to go.

If you are convicted of committing a crime as a youth, your name cannot be published. This is known as a “publication ban” and it is there to protect you so you can return to your community and move forward in your life.

However, if you committed a serious offence such as murder, and are tried as an adult, this publication ban does not apply.

A youth is usually only sent to jail if they have committed a violent offence and are a serious repeat offender (they have committed the same or similar crime before). Trial judges don’t send young people to jail without considering all aspects of the case before them. They will look at whether or not you are a repeat offender, if you have developed a pattern of committing offences, and whether or not you have obeyed other sentences in the community.

However, a trial judge could send you to jail if they believe the nature of your crime makes you a danger to the public or they believe jail would be helpful to your rehabilitation.