Youth Justice Circle

Abstract

This thesis will examine the Community Justice Forum Program/Youth Justice Circle for youth in Grey/Bruce County in Ontario, Canada. The Community Justice Forum is a Restorative Justice Program and the Youth Justice Circle is an element of this program. The study will address the question: “What are the necessary and sufficient components that make this Restorative Justice Circle (The Youth Justice Circle) effective? The objective was to identify components of the Circle that influence youth offender reintegration into the community while addressing public safety issues. The discussion aids in developing the hypothesis that there are identifiable YMCA Justice Circle program components that have a positive influence on the offending youth involved and their community reintegration while also addressing the public safety issues. The overall theme of the discussion is building strong relationships and influencing the development of constructive adolescent identities.