(DOWNLOAD) "Enhancing the Enhancements? Section 146 of the Youth Criminal Justice Act and the Supreme Court of Canada: A Comment on R. V. L.T.H." by Ottawa Law Review " eBook PDF Kindle ePub Free
eBook details
- Title: Enhancing the Enhancements? Section 146 of the Youth Criminal Justice Act and the Supreme Court of Canada: A Comment on R. V. L.T.H.
- Author : Ottawa Law Review
- Release Date : January 22, 2009
- Genre: Law,Books,Professional & Technical,
- Pages : * pages
- Size : 291 KB
Description
The Youth Criminal Justice Act provides significant enhanced protections for young persons in conflict with the criminal justice system. In one area where young persons are particularly vulnerable, giving statements to police, section 146 of the YCJA provides much greater protection to young persons than that given to adults under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Unlike an adult, a young person must be advised of the right to silence. A young person must also be warned of the potential use of any statement made to the police or other persons in authori ty. He or she must be advised of the right to consult with counsel and a parent and to have those persons present when a statement is made. If any of these requirements are not met the statement will automatically be inadmissible. In contrast an adult only has to be informed of the reason for arrest and the right to retain and instruct counsel. The recent decision of R. v. L. T.H. provided the Supreme Court of Canada the opportunity to examine the enhanced protections provided by section 146 in the context of the larger debate over the restriction or expansion of differential treatment for young offenders. In this comment the author argues that while the Court has restated its commitment to some enhanced protection for young offenders it has failed to fully embrace the underlying philosophy of the legislation. La Loi sur le systeme de justice penale pour les adoles cents ameliore sensiblement la protection des jeunes ayant des demeles avec le systeme de justice penale. En matiere des declarations a la police, domaine oU les jeunes sont particulierement vulnerables, l'article 146 de cette loi les protege mieux que la Charte des droits et libertes ne protege les adultes. Contrairement a l'adulte, il faut avertir l'adolescent ou l'adolescente de son droit au silence, de l'utilisation possible contre lui ou elle de toute declaration de sa part faite a la police ou a une personne en autorite; enfin de son droit de consulter un avocat ou une avocate et un parent et de faire sa declaration en leur presence. Si l'une ou l'autre de ces exigences n'est pas respectee, la declaration est d'emblee inadmissible. Il suffit, par contre, d'informer l'adulte des raisons de son arrestation ainsi que de son droit de retenir les services d'un avocat nu d'une avocate et de lui donner un mandat. Dans l'affaire recente R. c. L.T.H., la Cour supreme du Canada a pu examiner les nouvelles protections prevues a l'article 146 dans le contexte plus large du debat concernant la restriction ou le developpement du traitement different des jeunes contrevenants. Dans ce commentaire, on soutient que si la Cour reformule son engagement a ameliorer les protections offertes aux jeunes contrevenants a certains egards, les juges n'adherent pas pleinement a la philosophie sous-jacente de cette loi.