Elliott April S, Katzman Debra K
Paediatr Child Health. 2011 Aug;16(7):414. doi: 10.1093/pch/16.7.414.
The Canadian Paediatric Society is deeply concerned about the negative effects on the developmental, psychological and emotional health of young offenders if the Youth Criminal Justice Act is amended as proposed. Changing Canada's youth crime law to achieve stiffer sentences for youth 14 years of age and older who are convicted of serious violent offences is contrary to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. Treating adolescents as adults puts them at serious health and human rights risks - including trauma, violence and abuse - and interferes with their overall development. Furthermore, rates of mental illness are higher among youth in custody. Youth should only serve their sentence in a facility that is exclusively limited to youth, and considers the rights of youth as well as their mental, physical, developmental and educational needs.
加拿大儿科学会深切关注，如果按照提议修订《青少年刑事司法法》，将会对青少年罪犯的发育、心理和情绪健康产生负面影响。修改加拿大的青少年犯罪法，对14岁及以上因严重暴力犯罪被定罪的青少年处以更严厉的刑罚，这违背了《联合国儿童权利公约》。将青少年当作成年人对待会使他们面临严重的健康和人权风险，包括创伤、暴力和虐待，并干扰他们的全面发展。此外，被拘留青少年中的精神疾病发病率更高。青少年应仅在专门为青少年设立的设施中服刑，该设施应考虑到青少年的权利以及他们的心理、身体、发育和教育需求。
