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Bill C-37

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SUMMARY

This enactment amends the Young Offenders Act and the Criminal Code.

The major elements of the enactment are the following:

amendments to provide that sixteen and seventeen year olds charged with specified serious crimes involving violence will be proceeded against in adult court unless the youth court orders that they be proceeded against in youth court;

amendments to increase the sentences in youth court for young persons convicted of murder;

amendments to increase the period of time that sixteen and seventeen years olds convicted of murder in adult court must serve before being eligible to apply for parole;

amendments to provide that young offenders should be accountable to their victims and to the public through non-custodial dispositions where appropriate;

amendments to provide that the records of young persons convicted of specified serious offences will be retained for longer periods and that records of young persons convicted of minor offences will be retained for shorter periods; and

amendments to provide for greater sharing of information relating to young offenders with persons who require such information for safety reasons.