Backgrounder: Youth Justice Fund
The Youth Justice Fund was established in 1999 as part of the Youth Justice Renewal Initiative, and provides grants and contributions funding for projects across Canada. The Youth Justice Fund has a budget of approximately $4.5 million each year.
The Youth Justice Fund has three components:
- The Main Fund supports a broad range of projects relating to youth involved in the justice system. Current funding priorities include youth with mental health issues and/or cognitive impairments such as Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder. The Main Fund can also provide support to respond to emerging youth justice issues.
- The Drug Treatment component supports drug treatment interventions for youth involved in the justice system who are dealing with drug abuse.
- The Guns, Gangs and Drugs component responds to youth involved in the justice system who are involved in, or vulnerable to, gun, gang and drug related activities.
The Youth Justice Initiative is a multi-faceted approach that includes a legislative framework (the Youth Criminal Justice Act) and programming resources that:
- Encourage a more fair and effective youth justice system;
- Respond to emerging youth justice issues; and
- Enable greater citizen/community participation in the youth justice system by encouraging partnerships and innovations, and developing and sharing information and knowledge about youth justice.
Community and Aboriginal organizations, as well as individuals, have been and will continue to be eligible for funding to help develop community-based programming options and partnerships that respond more effectively and in a more meaningful manner to youth in conflict with the law. Funding support is also used to advance changes in provincial/territorial policies and programs that are consistent with the intent of federal policy objectives.
The Youth Justice Fund supports the development, implementation, and evaluation of pilot projects that provide programming and services for youth in conflict with the law. It supports professional development activities, such as training and conferences, for justice professionals and youth service providers. Additionally, it funds research on the youth justice system and related issues.
Projects must target youth who are between the ages of 12 and 17 and currently in conflict with the law, or justice professionals and/or service providers who work with these youth.
To learn more about the Youth Justice Fund, please visit www.canada.justice.gc.ca/youth.
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