The youth criminal justice system protects the privacy of young people by not allowing their identities to be made public. This includes sharing information on social media. The goal is to protect their privacy and support their reintegration into the community. Publishing names can lead to labelling and discrimination, and it is also against the YCJA to share the names of young witnesses or victims of crime.

Exceptions include:

• When a youth is found guilty and given an adult sentence
• When the court decides it’s necessary to protect the public
• When the youth is a danger to others
• When the youth is 18 or older, not in custody, and gives consent to share their name

A youth record includes details such as criminal history, convictions, and any extrajudicial measures. These records are kept by the courts, review boards, police, and others working with youth.

Those who may access youth records include:

• The youth
• The victims
• The youth’s parent(s) or guardian(s)

In some cases, schools may also access youth records when necessary.

If there are no further offences, youth records are destroyed at the end of the “access period,” usually 3-5 years after the sentence is completed.