Who We Are
We are a non-profit volunteer organization composed of community members authorized under Section 18 of the Youth Criminal Justice Act (YCJA) to work with young offenders within the community.
The SYJC carries out the Extrajudicial Sanctions and Measures Program for young offenders. By using a Restorative Justice approach, the SYJC aims to ensure accountability and growth for our youth.
All information is confidential and cannot be used against the young person in any legal proceedings.
What is the extrajudicial sanctions program?
It is a program that encourages youth to acknowledge and repair the harm caused to the victim and the community.
It also encourages families of affected youth and the community to become involved in the creation and implementation of sanctions.
The Strathcona County Youth Justice Committee (SYJC) will receive files from law enforcement when a youth is charged with a first-time minor offense.
The SYJC will work alongside the youth, their families, and potentially third-parties (such as the victim or the youths own family) that have been impacted by the youth’s actions in order to maximize the achievable growth for the youth through the extrajudicial sanctions program.
A maximum of three sanctions can be given to the youth. These sanctions may include an agreed-upon number of community service hours, writing assignments (eg. an essay on how their actions affected the other people involved in the incident), apology letters, or a project that relates to the youths current interests. The goal of this program is for the youth to grow from their mistakes in a way that discourages reoffending.
The youth will have a three-month period to complete all of their predetermined sanctions.
The SYJC will review the youths progress at their exit interview. When a youth has completed all of their sanctions, they will be signed off as successful in the program. The RCMP and/or the Court will be notified about the young person’s completion of the program.