Youth Justice Services

Youth Justice Services

Youth Justice Services (YJS) offers trauma-informed programs aimed at enhancing the well-being of young individuals. These programs include employment initiatives and recreational activities designed to improve their overall experience. 

Diversion

The YJS offers young people in Scarborough/East York the opportunity for diversion:



  • Diversion is the process of redirecting justice-involved youth away from formal processing and further involvement in the criminal justice system by providing youth with social services and resources and/or sending them home without further action.
  • By successfully completing diversion, youth can avoid going to court and the risk of getting a conviction, and can even potentially get their record expunged.

Conflict

  • Youth in conflict with the law who are arrested in the West Scarborough Neighbourhood Community Centre (WSNCC) service area (Police Divisions 41, 42, 43, 54, and 55) can be considered for diversion by the Toronto Police Services and Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services.
  • If eligible for diversion, the youth in conflict with the law may be referred to services in lieu of court or custody. The eligibility determination process takes place at the Toronto Courthouse located at 10 Armory Street. WSNCC is dedicated to serving youth in conflict with the law by diverting them away from the criminal justice system.


Aim of Diversion

The aim of diversion from prosecution is outlined as follows: 


  1. To provide a Removal, which due to the circumstances of the individual and the circumstances of the alleged offence allows for an appropriate victim-centred response;
  2. To enable a Swift Intervention, which can interrupt a cycle of offending and/or prevent further offending. The benefits of a successful diversion from prosecution are three-fold:
  3. It allows the Individual an opportunity for support to deal with their issues in the context of the alleged offence;
  4. Avoiding unnecessary contact with the criminal justice system;
  5. The individual does not receive a Conviction for the alleged offence, which can affect their longer-term employment opportunities, education, and mental health.


Programs & Services

Information

  • Youth Justice Committee

    The Youth Justice Committee is a program initiated by the Ministry of the Attorney General. It provides an alternative to formal court proceedings when dealing with young people alleged to have committed certain offences. The Youth Justice Committees involve trained volunteers members within the community. They then meet with persons harmed if they choose to be a part of the process, accused young people and their parents and/or guardians to negotiate an appropriate way for the young person to make amends for their actions. Youth Justice Committees effectively provides opportunity for the person harmed and the community to take part in dealing with offences committed by young persons.



    To become a member of the Youth Justice Committee, please call: (416) 755-9215 Ext. 244

  • Extra Judicial Measures (EJM)

    Funded by the Ministry of Children and Youth Services, the restorative Justice Program is a precharge program that allows the police to address the actions of young persons without utilizing the formal youth justice system. This innovative police/community partnership is designed to hold the young person accountable to the person harmed in the offence. The program offers a constructive way to deal with non-violent, low risk young persons, who accept responsibility for their crimes. The program provides the opportunity for young persons to acknowledge what they have done and to work at making amends.

  • Extra Judicial Sanctions

    This court referred program, provides youth with community service hours, stop shoplifting workshops and other programs in which youth are sanctioned to complete. Youth are given a court date in which they are expected to complete their sanctions.

    ​Examples of extra judicial sanctions include: community work, personal service work, apology letters, an apology in person, essay/crime prevention projects, restitution, and/or participation in life skill programming such as Anger Management or Life Skills Programming.

  • Harm Reduction Counselling

    The harm reduction program assists in educating sanctioned youth about reducing harmful effects of various behaviours, with a focus on substance use. It involves a range of non-judgmental approaches aimed at enhancing knowledge, skills, resources and support for youth and their families. Harm reduction is aimed at assisting youth in making informed decisions to be safer and healthier.

  • Stop Shoplifting

    The purpose of the program is to provide youth with information on the consequences of shoplifting and impact this offence can have on the victim, youth, his/her family and the community. It encourages the youth to acknowledge and repair the harm caused. The program provides an alternative which corresponds with the seriousness of the offence.

  • Emotional Awareness

    The emotional awareness program was created to help youth develop an awareness of their anger and emotions associated with anger. It focuses on the effects anger has on the youth, parents, schools and the greater community. The program seeks to help youth understand their anger and provide them with the tools they need to deal with their anger in a positive way. The participants connect with their fellow peers in the program with group discussion, writing assignments, case studies and role-play.
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