About The Program
Youth Justice Committees (YJCs) use restorative practices to offer young people (aged 12-17) an alternative to the court system. Through open dialogue and community-based resolutions, these committees support healing, responsibility, and positive change.
About Youth Justice Committees
Since the 1990s Youth Justice Committees have diverted thousands of Alberta youth from the youth court system. As, Section 18 of the Youth Criminal Justice Act provides an opportunity for community members to become directly involved in the administration of youth justice by forming Youth Justice Committees (YJCs).
A YJC is an alternative to the court system for young people aged 12 to 17 who are facing a minor charge. Community volunteers work with young people as well as their families, victims, the legal system, and the community, to provide an appropriate and meaningful response.
- Referrals to a YJC come from:
Law enforcement investigating officer, including RCMP and municipal/town police departments - Crown prosecutor through their office or through a youth probation office
The law enforcement investigating officer will not lay a charge and the Crown will withdraw the charges once the youth has successfully completed a YJC program.
About YJC Volunteers
Community volunteers bring together young people, their families, victims, and justice system representatives to address harm, encourage accountability, and find meaningful ways to move forward.
YJC community volunteers are a group of people in a variety of Alberta communities (a list of active YJCs is available on the Current YJC tab) who want to support youth in their community in turning a bad decision into a strength-based opportunity.
YJC community volunteers complete youth justice training, a Police Information Check, Alberta Child and Family Services Intervention Check, and an Oath of Confidentiality.
YJC community volunteers meet with the youth and their adult support person to discuss the circumstances of the offence, school, homelife, special interests, consequences that have already been administered, and the parent’s concerns. With input from the youth and parents, YJC volunteers decide up to three (3) sanctions that must be fulfilled for the youth to be successful. Victims are encouraged to participate in this meeting.
Eligibility Requirements
- For a youth to be eligible:
- It must be their first or second offence
- Be an eligible offence
- They must accept responsibility for their actions
- Be accountable for their criminal behaviour
- They must agree to participate
On average a youth is provided three (3) months to complete the YJC program.
Sanction Information
During a meeting with Youth Justice Committee volunteers the youth, their support system, and committee members write up an agreement to identify up to three (3) sanctions that the youth is responsible to complete in order to be successful in the program.
Sanction Examples
Apology
Community Service Work
Restitution
Donation to a charity
Complete programming
Presentation Project
YJC Benefits
The Value of a Community-Based Approach to Youth Crime
Participating in a YJC has many benefits for everyone, youth, families, community volunteers, and victims. YJC volunteers are caring neighbours who want young people to be successful and to make better choices in the future. The youth and their parents/guardians use their voice to explain what happened, and community volunteers help youth in find appropriate outcomes for the harm done. Young people have a chance to make amends to the victim and their community and access resources or programs. Once the young person is successful and stays out of trouble, their mistake will not hold them back from future employment or post-secondary pursuits.
Benefits For:
The Young Person:
- Awareness of their actions
- Accountability to the harm that was done
- Acknowledging their strengths
- Avoiding a formal youth record if they remain crime-free for a period of 2 years
- Building positive relationships with adults in their community
The Family:
- Situation is supported by their community
- Support for family challenges with external referrals
- The criminal case is handled expediently and efficiently
- Feel that someone is listening and willing to help
The Community:
- Decreases the chance that the youth will re-offend
- Shows youth that the community cares about them
- Opportunity to have a positive, effective impact on reducing youth crime
- Provides an alternative to the court system for less serious offences
The Victim:
- Tell their story
- Identify how the harm has affected them
- Restitution, if applicable, may be used to help repair the harm that was caused