Ch.4 Test Bank Answers The Youth Justice System In Action

CHAPTER 4

The Youth Justice System in Action

Multiple Choice Questions

1. Data on police-recorded youth crime show that the rate of young people accused of a Criminal Code offence has ________ since the YCJA came into effect.
   1. increased dramatically
   2. decreased dramatically
   3. increased slightly
   4. decreased slightly
   5. stayed about the same
2. In contrast to adult offenders, when criminal offences are committed by young offenders police assume ________ in responding to their delinquency.
   1. greater responsibility
   2. less responsibility
   3. no responsibility
   4. parents as responsible
   5. None of the above
3. Researchers examined the likelihood of youth being stopped and questioned by police depending on their racial backgrounds in a Toronto high school in the early 2000s. Data revealed that ________ youth were more likely to be stopped and questioned by police.
   1. black
   2. Caucasian
   3. South Asian
   4. Asian
   5. Indigenous
4. A ________ occurs before the case proceeds to trail and is a hearing in which the judge can determine if there is sufficient evidence to proceed to trial.
   1. disposition
   2. pre-charge diversion
   3. access period
   4. pre-sentence report
   5. preliminary inquiry
5. ________ has the longest court case completion time in Canada.
   1. Alberta
   2. Ontario
   3. Manitoba
   4. Nova Scotia
   5. Prince Edward Island
6. ________ has the shortest court case completion time.
   1. Alberta
   2. Ontario
   3. Manitoba
   4. Nova Scotia
   5. Prince Edward Island
7. Which of the following is not one of the additional sentencing options for young offenders convicted of an offence in Canada?
   1. Deferred custody and rehabilitation support (DCRC)
   2. Intensive support and supervision program (ISSP)
   3. Deferred custody and supervision orders (DCSOs)
   4. Intensive rehabilitative custody and supervision (IRCS)
   5. Custody- and community-based dispositions
8. In the case of ________ discharge, the judge decides that the offence was not so serious to warrant the registering of the conviction, and in consideration of the best interest of the young person, no further actions are taken.
   1. a non-sanctioned
   2. an absolute
   3. a conditional
   4. a sanctioned
   5. a reprimanded
9. According to the authors of Chapter 4, a broad body of research has shown that custody can be criminogenic for offenders, especially ________.
   1. repeat offenders
   2. serious offenders
   3. high-risk offenders
   4. low-risk offenders
   5. violent offenders
10. The most commonly delivered programs in youth detention centres, ________, have shown promising educational and offending outcomes for youth who have been released from custody.
    1. educational and substance abuse programs
    2. individual and group counselling programs
    3. anger management programs
    4. life skills programs
    5. cultural and religious programs
11. ________ refer to information presented to the courts in relation to the facts of the case and the accused that may result in a lesser charge or sentence if he or she is found guilty.
    1. Preliminary inquiries
    2. Screening tools
    3. Disposition factors
    4. Mitigation factors
    5. Static risk factors
12. In many provinces and jurisdictions wait-list lengths for court ordered psychiatric assessments for young offenders can be ________.
    1. one to two weeks
    2. two to four weeks
    3. six to eight weeks
    4. three months
    5. six months
13. ________ refers to individuals who are not fully capable of instructing counsel or understanding the nature and consequences of their trial.
    1. Not criminally responsible due to unfitness
    2. Not criminally responsible due to intelligence
    3. Unfit to stand trial
    4. Not responsible to stand trial due to mental disorder
    5. Ineligible to stand trial
14. If a young person has been found to be unfit to stand trial, he or she is reassessed ________.
    1. within 30 days
    2. within 60 days
    3. within 90 days
    4. every 60 days
    5. every 90 days
15. ________ is known as a sentencing option for youth who have committed a violent offence and suffer from mental, psychological, or emotional disorders/disturbances.
    1. Not Criminally Responsible On Account Of Mental Disorder (NCRMD)
    2. Unfit To Stand Trial (UST)
    3. Intensive Support and Supervision (ISSP)
    4. Deferred Custody And Supervision Orders (DCSO)
    5. Intensive Rehabilitative Custody And Supervision (IRCS)
16. ________ are tools that are used to identify youth who are at risk, or possess risk factors, so they can be referred to appropriate service, programming, and treatment.
    1. Risk assessment tools
    2. Risk screening tools
    3. Screening tools
    4. Assessment tools
    5. Dynamic assessment tools
17. Static risk factors include ________.
    1. needs
    2. prior criminal history
    3. substance abuse
    4. risk
    5. antisocial peers
18. Dynamic risk factors include ________.
    1. age
    2. responsivity
    3. prior criminal history
    4. ethnicity
    5. gang involvement
19. ________ are not a result of involvement in the youth criminal justice system.
    1. Court records
    2. Government records
    3. Police records
    4. Adult records
    5. Corrections records
20. If a young person had his or her charge dismissed or withdrawn, the records would be sealed or destroyed ________.
    1. immediately
    2. after two months
    3. after three months
    4. after six months
    5. after one year
21. The ________ program is an evidence-based program that has been adopted throughout Canada to support children and youth before they become involved in serious delinquency and/or who are not old enough to be charged.
    1. SNAP
    2. CPTED
    3. SARA
    4. DARE
    5. None of the above
22. Net widening is an issue that comes up within which legal practice?
    1. Extrajudicial sanctions
    2. Racial profiling
    3. Police/youth engagement program
    4. Pre-trial sentencing
    5. Granting bail
23. One of the main goals of the Police and Youth Engagement Program (PYEP) is to ________.
    1. educe bullying in schools
    2. increase community participation in youth court cases
    3. increase police perceptions and interactions between the police and youth
    4. reduce youth violence
    5. reduce youth property crimes
24. The role of a Youth Court Judge is to ________.
    1. determine guilt or innocence
    2. determine use of pre-trial detention
    3. request medical or psychiatric assessments
    4. determine bail conditions
    5. All of the above are part of a Youth Court Judges role.
25. When an individual is not fully capable of instructing counsel or understanding the nature and consequences of their trial this refers to being ________.
    1. NCRMD
    2. UST
    3. REACH
    4. IRCS
    5. None of the above

True or False Questions

• • • 1. Under the YCJA, children under the age of 12 can be held criminally responsible for their actions.
      2. The YCJA outlines clear objectives related to extrajudicial measures (EJM) and encourages police to divert young people away from the formal youth justice system whenever possible.
      3. There is no longer a debate about the rehabilitative and deterrent effectiveness of divisionary practices by police.
      4. Racial profiling refers to the fact that some culturally distinct groups have an increased involvement in criminal activities, so police stop them more often.
      5. A 17-year-old Indigenous youth in Saskatchewan died of hyperthermia after being left outside in a field by police.
      6. Bail surety refers to a promise made by someone connected to the youth to pay the court money if the young person, who was released on bail, fails to return to court on the subsequent court date.
      7. The presumption that pre-trial detention was to be reserved for youth who could be sentenced to custody in the case of a guilty verdict for that offence has been removed with revisions made by the Safe Streets and Communities Act.
      8. The publication of young offenders’ names is prohibited under the YJCA with no exceptions.
      9. The majority of cases that have come before youth courts have been through not-guilty pleas.
      10. It is very infrequent that youth are found not criminally responsible or are determined unfit to stand trial based on their mental health.
      11. The average youth probation sentence in Canada in 2011–12 was one year, with the maximum possible probation sentence being two years.
      12. The Safe Streets and Communities Act’s inclusion of denunciation and deterrence as youth sentencing principles has reduced the chance of more severe custodial sentences for convicted young offenders.
      13. To accommodate young offenders who have been sentenced to custody, there are separate male and female detention facilities.
      14. A large number of young offenders in the criminal justice system have been diagnosed with or display symptoms of a mental health disorder.
      15. According to the authors of Chapter 4, the high number of young offenders with mental health disorders could be explained by the fact that these individuals simply are not discreet enough and therefore are more likely to be caught.
      16. Youth who are diagnosed with ADHD, conduct disorder, or attachment disorder are more likely to be involved in delinquency and the court system.
      17. Many youth court cases result in a finding of not criminally responsible on account of a mental disorder (NCRMD) or unfit to stand trial (UST).
      18. A NCRMD defence cannot be raised if the young person is deemed unfit to stand trial.
      19. Indigenous young offenders are disproportionately overrepresented in the criminal justice system.
      20. All young offenders’ records, regardless of severity of crime, must be sealed or destroyed after a given period.
      21. An evidence-based program that has been adopted throughout Canada to support children and youth before they become involved in serious delinquency and/or who are not old enough to be charged is called the Stop Now And Plan program.
      22. The Police and Youth Engagement Program (PYEP) operated by REACH Edmonton is in collaboration with the Edmonton Police Service and other Partner agencies to engage youth and work on the relationship between youth and the police.
      23. In 2015, the percentage of youth that were incarcerated in pre-trial detention had reduced significantly since 2003.
      24. Youth Court Judges play a significant role in determining whether pre-trial detention shall be used.
      25. A cross over youth is one who becomes part of the protective child welfare system because of maltreatment, subsequent removal from the home, and placement in foster care; and who later become involved in the youth justice system.

Short Answer Questions

1. Is the Youth Criminal Justice Act (YCJA) applied in a similar way to young offenders across Canada? Describe why or why not.
2. Describe what happens when dealing with children under the age of 12 after they have committed a Criminal Code offence. What are the goals of the criminal justice system in regards to this action?
3. What is pre-charge diversion? Explain the two routes police can take when engaging in it.
4. What is the concern raised with more formally regulated diversionary practices through extrajudicial measures (EJM) and extrajudicial sanctions (EJS)?
5. According to the YCJA what are the restrictions on the use of pre-trial detention? How was the Safe Streets and Communities Act changed this?
6. What is the purpose of the pre-sentence report? Who creates it and what does it outline?
7. Explain a role that a Crown Counsel has in some provinces that police might have in other provinces.
8. Do parents typically go to the police station and attend scheduled court hearings for their children?
9. What is a reprimand, or admonishment, by a youth court judge? Who is most likely to receive this?
10. What is the role of a probation officer in court decision-making?
11. What does research suggest will happen to low-risk offenders in custody? What does the YCJA suggest for low-risk offenders?
12. What is the maximum length of sentences, or combination of sentences for young offenders? What are the exceptions to these sentence lengths?
13. What are the sentencing options for youth who are given custodial sanction in a youth custody centre? How is it determined where the youth will be placed?
14. What happens if a young person completes restorative justice arrangements? What happens if they fail to complete restorative justice arrangements?
15. What is the Youth Justice Committee and what do they do? Are their roles the same across Canada?
16. What two things do the courts need to assess when it comes to young offenders’ mental health issues in order to move forward to trial?
17. What are the three disposition options for young offenders after they have been found NCRMD?
18. Who would be referred to the youth mental health court programs?
19. What has research found regarding the use of mental health courts in Canada?
20. How do static risk factors and dynamic risk factors differ? Give examples.
21. How does an access period work?
22. Discuss the Stop Now and Plan program.
23. Discuss racial profiling.
24. Discuss the Police and Youth Engagement Program (PYEP) run by REACH Edmonton
25. What are some of the main points of the role of a Youth Court Judge?

Essay Questions

1. What is the court process for a youth who is formally charged by police with a serious offence under the Criminal Code?
2. Probation is the most commonly applied sanction for youth convicted of a Criminal Code offence. Discuss the role of a probation officer in the youth criminal justice system.
3. Discuss the circumstances in which youth can receive an adult sentence. Include a discussion of the YCJA and Safe Streets and Communities Act.
4. Discuss what not criminally responsible on account of mental disorder and unfit to stand trial are. Discuss when these are used and the frequency of their use.
5. Based on the empirical support for the effectiveness of risk assessment instruments, both community probation offices and correctional services employ these tools in the management of young offenders. Discuss similarities and differences among the risk assessment tools Chapter 4 discusses.
6. Describe the process of destroying and/or sealing youth records for the different offences.
7. Discuss what is meant by a crossover youth and the relationship child welfare has to the juvenile justice system.