Objectives of the Youth Justice
Renewal Initiative

Often, young people are brought into the formal justice system for minor offences that, in many cases, could be more effectively dealt with in the community in less formal, but equally meaningful, ways that focus on repairing the harm done. With this in mind, the Youth Justice Renewal Initiative, including the legislative component, is designed to

• increase the use of measures, outside the formal court process, that are often more effective in addressing some types of youth crime;
• establish a more targeted approach to the use of custody for young people;
• improve the system's ability to rehabilitate and reintegrate young offenders;
• increase the use of community-based sentences for non-violent youth crime;
• establish special measures for violent offenders that focus on intensive supervision and treatment; and
• increase public confidence in the youth justice system.

The Government of Canada recognizes that the formal court process must be available for more serious offences when it is clearly appropriate.