Youth Justice Act 1997
4Objectives of Act
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4 Objectives of Act
The main objectives of this Act are –
(a) to provide for the administration of youth justice; and
(b) to provide how a youth who has committed, or is alleged to have committed, an offence is to be dealt with; and
(c) to specify the general principles of youth justice; and
(d) to ensure that a youth who has committed an offence is made aware of his or her rights and obligations under the law and of the consequences of contravening the law; and
(e) [Section 4 Amended by No. 27 of 2013, s. 6, Applied:01 Mar 2014] to ensure that a youth who has committed an offence is given appropriate treatment and rehabilitation and, if necessary, is appropriately sanctioned; and
(f) to enhance and reinforce the roles of guardians, families and communities in –
(i) minimising the incidence of youth crime; and
(ii) [Section 4 Amended by No. 27 of 2013, s. 6, Applied:01 Mar 2014] sanctioning and managing youths who have committed offences; and
(iii) rehabilitating youths who have committed offences and directing them towards the goal of becoming responsible citizens; and
(g) to ensure that, whenever practicable, a youth who has committed, or is alleged to have committed, an offence is dealt with in a manner that is culturally appropriate and recognises and enhances his or her cultural identity; and
(h) [Section 4 Amended by No. 27 of 2013, s. 6, Applied:01 Mar 2014] to ensure that, whenever practicable, a youth who has committed, or is alleged to have committed, an offence is dealt with in a manner that takes into account the youth's social and family background and that enhances the youth's capacity to accept personal responsibility for his or her behaviour; and
(i) [Section 4 Amended by No. 27 of 2013, s. 6, Applied:01 Mar 2014] to ensure that, wherever practicable, a youth who has committed an offence is provided with appropriate opportunities to repair any harm caused by the commission of the offence to the victim of the offence and the community and to reintegrate himself or herself into the community.