In Canada, young people are arrested for more crimes than their population suggests they should be. About 13 percent of those who are alleged to have committed crimes are between the ages of 12 and 17. That may not seem high, but it does when you realize that this age group is a mere 7 percent of the overall population in the country.
Another way to look at this is by examining the overall numbers. In 2014, reports show that about 101,000 youths in this age bracket faced criminal allegations. That means the crime rate for people within this five-year window was 4,322 for every 100,000.
It's worth noting that traffic violations are taken out of these stats. This makes them more accurate, as young drivers do tend to make mistakes as they learn how to drive and gain experience, so it wouldn't be a fair comparison. The numbers above, though, are just for more serious Criminal Code violations.
That being said, many issues were still relatively minor. In 2014, the top three reasons for these arrests were theft, mischief and common assault. The theft charges involved the taking goods or cash worth $5,000 or less. Though assault is technically a violent crime, common assault is considered a minor charge. Such charges could be given out for a fight in which no one was significantly injured.
Still, charges stemming from minor incidents can land young people in court. It's very important for them to know what legal options they have. Not only are they likely inexperienced with the criminal justice system at such a young age, but they also have to consider their futures to avoid letting them be ruined by one decision.
Source: Statcan, "Youth crime in Canada, 2014," Mary K. Allen and Tamy Superle, accessed Aug. 29, 2016
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