Section 18 — Youth Criminal Justice Act: Youth justice committees

The Attorney General of Canada or a province or any other minister that the lieutenant governor in council of the province may designate may establish one or more committees of citizens, to be known as youth justice committees, to assist in any aspect of the administration of this Act or in any programs or services for young persons. The functions of a youth justice committee may include the following: in the case of a young person alleged to have committed an offence, giving advice on the appropriate extrajudicial measure to be used in respect of the young person, supporting any victim of the alleged offence by soliciting his or her concerns and facilitating the reconciliation of the victim and the young person, ensuring that community support is available to the young person by arranging for the use of services from within the community, and enlisting members of the community to provide short-term mentoring and supervision, and when the young person is also being dealt with by a child protection agency or a community group, helping to coordinate the interaction of the agency or group with the youth criminal justice system; advising the federal and provincial governments on whether the provisions of this Act that grant rights to young persons, or provide for the protection of young persons, are being complied with; advising the federal and provincial governments on policies and procedures related to the youth criminal justice system; providing information to the public in respect of this Act and the youth criminal justice system; acting as a conference; and any other functions assigned by the person who establishes the committee.