Talking to the police
It’s around midnight. You are walking home from your friend’s house and you see some police officers coming down the street towards you. They walk up to you and start talking to you. You feel pretty nervous and fear that you are going to get in trouble. This post will discuss the rights you have…
The Other Kids of 311 Jarvis
-by Niamh Harraher, Staff Lawyer and Jeffrey Rosekat, Chair of JFCY Board of Directors The prevailing wind of federal government policy and much media discourse seems focused on presenting youth as dangerous, out of control and in need of a highly punitive justice system. David Bruser’s series on the kids of 311 Jarvis Street which…
Skipping School and Smoking Pot
Scenario Fourteen year-old Rachel had never really thought about skipping class before. She knew her friends skipped once in a while, but she had never done so herself. Then, one fall day, during lunch hour, Emily and Mike asked Rachel if she wanted to skip the next period, get something to eat, and hang out…
Education Law and the Youth Criminal Justice Act – JFCY staff write for Briefly Speaking
The most recent issue of Briefly Speaking features two articles by JFCY lawyers. Check it out online! Martha Mackinnon is the executive director of JFCY. Her article, “The Legality of Education,” discusses the legal structures that govern the education system in Ontario – key issues she addresses are the legal processes that relate to suspensions, expulsions,…
Drunk Driving
Scenario (by Cydney Kim) Michael and Fred are 16 year old friends who love parties. One night, they decide to attend a party at the other end of town. Michael arranges to be picked up by his parents late at night. When Fred’s 20 year old brother drops the two friends off at the party,…
Concerts, Drug Use and Underage Drinking
Blogpost by JFCY volunteer Lucas Treleaven, law student Daniel Lo and JFCY lawyers.Fred is 17 and loves music. He goes to all his favourite bands concerts and owns all their T-shirts. One night he decided to go to a Blink 182 concert alone because his friends don’t really like Blink 182. He was having a great…
DEGRASSI – Legal issues in the "Dangerous Minds" episodes
The popular teen TV show Degrassi addresses issues that are relevant to Canadian youth. From time-to-time on this blog we will be exploring some of the legal issues that come up in Degrassi episodes. In episodes 1101 and 1102, called “Dangerous Minds”, Drew finds himself entangled in some very serious legal issues and decides to…
Sexual assault in the world of dating
Blog post by volunteers Josh (U of T undergrad student) and Bianca (law student) Scenario Meet Annie: a normal 16-year old girl. She is smart, pretty, and well liked by both her peers and teachers. And when popular jock Scott Herring asked her out, she agreed. She was nervous because she had never dated before,…
EXTRAJUDICIAL MEASURES (DIVERSION): KEEPING YOUNG PEOPLE OUT OF COURT
The Youth Criminal Justice Act says it is better to deal with less serious offences outside the court system. Extrajudicial measures include all consequences imposed by someone other than a judge. The police can give warnings, cautions, or referrals to a community program. When the police think those measures are not adequate, an extrajudicial sanction…