Teaching Youth Justice

Rationale
This lesson continues the exploration of what happens if a young person is found guilty of a crime. Students will consider the purpose and principles of the YCJA that relate specifically to custody and supervision.

Procedure
1. Remind students that youth who are sentenced to custodial sentences not only enter custody, but they also at some point will be released from custody. What does this suggest about what should take place while a young person is in custody?

2. Distribute Custody, Supervision, and Reintegration to read as a group, then lead class in completion of corresponding questions.

3. Divide the class into small groups and distribute Review of Custodial Sentences and assign the accompanying Case Study activity that looks at moving a young person named Adam to open custody. For this activity, teachers may wish to have a third group play the role of Youth Justice
Court and determine whether or not Adam should be transferred to open custody.