Published In
Dalhousie Law Journal
Document Type
Working Paper
Publication Date
2025
Subjects
Sentencing, Canada, Youth
Abstract
This paper analyzes reported Canadian cases from 2008 to 2022 in which young people were sentenced for murder. It shows that, at least in these reported decisions, sentencing young people as adults for murder is not rare. The Crown routinely seeks life sentences for young people and the court orders them in the vast majority of cases in which they are sought. Life sentences for young people have become normalized and expected in murder cases, rather than exceptional. This paper delves into the case law to get a better picture of why and how this is happening.
Citation Details
Debra Parkes, “‘17 going on 23’: Sentencing Young People to Life in Canada” ([forthcoming in 2025]) 48:1 Dal LJ.