Module 12 - Specialized courts

Question 1

Culpability - youth crime

Answer 1

• Underdeveloped psychosocial skills
• Level of knowledge and reasoning are not as developed as adults
• More amenable to rehabilitation

Question 2

Dimensions – youth crime (EXAM)

Answer 2

• Susceptibility to peer influence: desire to please peers and fear rejection, modelling, peer pressure, group crimes, strong risk factor for reoffending = anti-social peers
• Future orientation: no thought to long-term consequences, high-focus on immediate gratification
• Reward sensitivity: less sensitive to punishment, more sensitive to reward, high risk-taking, general deterrence does not work as well
• Impulsiveness: not thinking things through

Question 3

Juvenile delinquency act

Answer 3

• Child welfare (1908)
• 7-12
• Misguided not criminal (parental rather than punitive)
• Informal = rights ignored (i.e., right to appeal)
• Certain charges with no equivalent adult crimes

Question 4

Youth offenders act

Answer 4

• Criminals (1984)
• 12-18
• Larger degree of responsibility and more sentencing
• Max 2 years with murder at 10
• Treated more like adults = granted more rights

Question 5

Youth criminal justice act

Answer 5

• Mix of youth offender and juvenile delinquency (2003)
• No transfer to adult court but can impose adult sentencing
• Prevent crime, consequences, encourage responsibility, promote rehab
• Principles: reinforce respect for societal values, encourage repair of harm, respect gender/ethnic/cultural/linguistic preferences
• Encourage outside of court punishments

Question 6

Rate of mental disorders are high because…

Answer 6

• More likely to commit crime
• More likely to be caught and arrested
• More likely to plead guilty
• Charges might exacerbate disorders

Question 7

Mental health court

Answer 7

• Mitigate revolving door of mentally ill overrepresentation
• Divert to alternatives
• Facilitate evaluation fitness to stand trial
• Ensure treatment
• Decrease cycle to becoming repeat offenders

Question 8

Indigenous court

Answer 8

• More likely to commit crimes + serious ones, biases, economically disadvantaged
• Relevant factors in sentencing: poverty, substance abuse, lack of cultural identity, history of abuse, residential school
• Self-determination through spiritual healing
• Must plead guilty
• Healing plan: prevent further damage, take responsibility, repay victim/community, rehab

Question 9

Drug treatment court

Answer 9

• Avoid incarceration by completing drug treatment program
• Plead guilty
• Random drug testing
• Outpatient counselling, anger management, social/cognitive skills
• Typically one year
• 14% recidivism reduced (EXAM)