Funding Youth Justice

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The Youth Justice Renewal Initiative calls for a collaborative, multi-disciplinary approach to youth justice. The objectives of the Initiative are to:

• Enable greater citizen/community participation in the youth justice system;
• Increase public confidence in the youth justice system;
• Improve public protection by reducing youth crime;
• Increase the use of measures outside the formal court process;
• Reduce the over reliance on custody;
• Increase the emphasis on rehabilitation and reintegration of young offenders; and
• Target measures for violent offenders.

The Youth Justice Renewal Fund targets projects that contribute to the achievement of the broad goals of the Youth Justice Renewal Initiative, as set out above.

Through the Youth Justice Renewal Fund:

• Provincial and territorial ministries responsible for youth justice may apply for Grants and Contributions to assist them and their partners in assuming effective roles in the continuing implementation of the Youth Criminal Justice Act that are in keeping with the underlying principles of the Youth Justice Renewal Initiative.
• In support of the Youth Justice Renewal Initiative, NGOs and aboriginal organizations who are active/interested in youth justice issues may apply for grants and contributions to:
  1. Test innovative features of the Youth Criminal Justice Act. Of particular interest have been projects on extrajudicial measures, youth justice committees, pre-trial detention, new sentencing options, custody and reintegration;
  2. Broaden the range and nature of community groups involved in the renewal of youth justice in Canada (e.g., education sector, arts and recreation; child advocates; mental health professionals; those in the helping professions) and;
  3. Inform Canadians about the Youth Justice Renewal Initiative and the Youth Criminal Justice Act in order to contribute to increased public understanding, participation, confidence and trust in the justice system;
• Aboriginal Communities may also apply for grants and contributions to develop their capacity to participate in and/or deliver community-based youth justice options contained the Youth Criminal Justice Act. These options include extrajudicial measures and sanctions, alternatives to pre-trial detention, community reintegration and the development and implementation of community-based sentences.

The funding allocated through the Youth Justice Fund flows from three streams: the Youth Justice Main Fund, the Youth Justice Anti-Drug Component and the Guns, Gangs and Drugs Priority.  Details on funding criteria for each stream are outlined below for your information:

• Youth Justice Main Fund ( PDF Version, 27, KB )
• Youth Justice Anti-Drug Component ( PDF Version, 29, KB )
• Guns, Gangs and Drugs Priority ( PDF Version, 29, KB )

For Further Information, Contact:

Youth Justice Policy
Department of Justice Canada
180 Elgin Street, 7th floor
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0H8
Fax: (613) 954-3275
E-Mail: Youth-Jeunes@justice.gc.ca