Youth Custody
A small percentage of youth found guilty in B.C. are sent to youth custody centres. These centres are for youth who have been sentenced by the court or are placed in custody while they wait for a court appearance.
Youth custody centres provide safe, secure and humane custody of young offenders. They have programs to help reduce criminal behaviours.
Types of Custody
Depending on your situation, you may be sentenced to either open or secure custody while awaiting your trial or sentencing.
Open custody may be ordered if the court believes you will respect basic rules and privileges and do not require the level of security found in secure custody.
Secure custody is ordered if you require a higher level of security. Secure custody is usually for youth found guilty of committing a serious crime, who have a pattern of committing crimes or who are not suitable for open custody supervision.
The type of custody depends on several factors, including:
- the seriousness and nature of the crime;
- previous court history;
- previous behaviour while in custody; and
- previous response to serving a sentence in the community under supervision.
Programs and Services
Your youth probation officer can help you find programs and services suitable for you while serving a sentence in custody and preparing for release back into the community.
The Ministry of Children and Family Development has four types of programs for youth in custody: basic, core, specialized and re-integration. To learn more, please visit the Ministry for Children and Family Development website.
Once you are released from custody, other community-based programs will be available to you.
Release Planning
If you are sentenced to youth custody, you will be assigned a youth probation officer who will work with you while you serve your sentence. When you are serving part of your sentence in custody, your youth probation officer will prepare a program for you to follow when you are released into the community.
As with all custodial sentences, the last portion of your sentence will be served in the community, under supervision. When you serve this part of your sentence, your youth probation officer will supervise you and provide ongoing support. Your youth probation officer will assist you with following the conditions of your release and will help you carry out your plan to move back into the community, as a law-abiding member.
