Institution: University of Ottawa ()
Category: Faculty of Law
Language:
English
Course Description
In this course, we will delve into how young people are treated differently in Canada's justice systems, focusing on why they're held less accountable due to their age and development. We'll explore what 'childhood' legally means and how criminal responsibility changes as young people grow up. A major part of our discussions will centre on the Youth Criminal Justice Act (YCJA) and how it reflects the understanding that young brains and moral thinking are still developing. By looking into these unique legal approaches, we aim to understand why the law often prefers to rehabilitate rather than punish young offenders.
