A youthful indiscretion doesn’t have to haunt a young person for a lifetime. It can be a turning point. Redemption awaits. Mandeep Saggi’s motivation is to protect young persons’ rights to fair proceedings.
Ontario’s youngest accused defendants may have the most to lose. Under the Youth Criminal Justice Act (YCJA), any accused individual between the ages of 12 and 17 is defined as a “young person” and subject to unique guidelines in sentencing. By law, the courts owe youthful defendants at least the opportunity to change.
The courts tend to approach sentencing with a motivation to rehabilitate young offenders as they move forward into society as eventual adults. Judges consider the least restrictive possible sentences and by law must consider all other reasonable sanctioning options:
A stern, cautionary reprimand from the presiding judge
Absolute or conditional discharge from the youth’s record, taking 1-3 years respectively
Probation
Restitution for damages
Deferred custody, which is basically a juvenile house arrest
Open custody
Secure custody
Youth records often become erased or sealed and inaccessible upon the age of 18, but exceptions can be made under some serious circumstances. Mandeep Saggi takes in the facts of a specific case and ensure that the court treats a young offender with the opportunity to reform with the consideration that the law dictates.