Section 6 — Youth Criminal Justice Act: Warnings, cautions and referrals

A police officer shall, before starting judicial proceedings or taking any other measures under this Act against a young person alleged to have committed an offence, consider whether it would be sufficient, having regard to the principles set out in sections 4 and 4.1, to take no further action, warn the young person, administer a caution, if a program has been established under section 7, or, with the consent of the young person, refer the young person to a program or agency in the community that may assist the young person not to commit offences. The failure of a police officer to consider the options set out in subsection (1) does not invalidate any subsequent charges against the young person for the offence.