Courts of Saskatchewan

Youth Court

Provincial Court

​Canada’s laws apply to everyone, including young people. However, young people are treated differently than adults when they commit a crime.

When a young person between the ages of 12 and 17 years is charged with committing a criminal offence, he or she is subject to the Youth Criminal Justice Act (YCJA).

The YCJA emphasizes the principles of:

• timely intervention;
• meaningful consequences;
• repairing harm done
• involvement of family and community; and
• respect for victims

Provincial Court judges sit as Youth Justice Court judges in every city and circuit point in the province.

A young person who pleads guilty or is found guilty after a trial could receive one or more of the following penalties:

• a reprimand from the judge,
• a restitution payment to the victim,
• community service,
• probation with conditions, such as:
  -reporting regularly to a probation officer,
  -having a daily curfew,
  -living at a place designated by a probation officer, and
  -taking counselling and treatment as directed by a probation officer.

The Youth Court Judge also has the power to sentence a youth to a significant period of custody and supervision.