Section 16: A hidden self-contradiction of the Y.O.A.? Section 16 contradicts Young Offenders Act. The ability of the courts to divert young offenders into ordinary court goes against section 3, the declaration of principles, particularly section 3 (c.) of the Y.O.A., which states that “young persons who commit crime require supervision, discipline and control, but, because of their state of dependency and level of development and maturity, they also have special needs and require guidance …showed first 75 words of 652 total…

…showed last 75 words of 652 total…be treated differently than adults. Young offenders need guidance, as many of the young offenders may have had very little deep-seated guidance to begin with. A lengthy prison term with hard-assed criminals is simply not the way to rehabilitate a young person, no matter how serious their crime was. Simply put, section 16 contradicts the declaration of principles set out in the Y.O.A. act itself, and as such has no place in the act.