Youth Court Judges' Views of the Youth Justice system: The results of a survey

Help in the sentencing process

A fair amount of variation existed regarding whether judges indicated that they could get a mental health assessment carried out in a timely fashion. [34] This did not appear to relate to the region of the country or whether the judge heard cases in relatively large centres (population of 100, 000 or more) or not.

Proportion of youths for whom judge could get timely mental health assessment
  Frequency Valid percent

Cumulative percent
Valid All, almost all 48 20.6 20.6
Most 79 33.9 54.5
About half 38 16.3 70.8
Few, almost
none, none		 63 27 97.9
Never seen need 5 2.1 100
Total 233 100  
Missing 5    
Total 238    

Courts of appeal in all jurisdictions did not, overall, appear to be seen in a favourable light by most judges in terms of the helpfulness of their decisions for the judge when deciding particular sentences. [35]

How helpful is judge's Court of Appeal in deciding on appropriate sentence?
  How helpful Court of Appeal in sentencing Total
Very helpful Somewhat helpful Rarely or never helpful
Province or Territory NF. Count
Row percent 		  2
50 %		 2
50 %		 4
100 %
PE Count
Row percent 		  1
100 %		   1
100 %
NS. Count
Row percent 		1
6.3 %		 9
56.3 %		 6
37.5 %		 16
100 %
NB Count
Row percent 		1
11.1 %		 5
55.6 %		 3
33.3 %		 9
100 %
QC Count
Row percent 		3
12.5 %		 16
66.7 %		 5
20.8 %		 24
100 %
ON Count
Row percent 		5
7.5 %		 29
43.3 %		 33
49.3 %		 67
100 %
MN Count
Row percent 		2
11.8 %		 5
29.4 %		 10
58.8 %		 17
100 %
SK Count
Row percent 		  8
50 %		 8
50 %		 16
100 %
AB Count
Row percent 		1
4.8 %		 7
33.3 %		 13
61.9 %		 21
100 %
BC Count
Row percent 		2
3.8 %		 19
35.8 %		 32
60.4 %		 53
100 %
YK Count
Row percent 		    1
100 %		 1
100 %
NW Count
Row percent 		    3
100 %		 3
100 %
Total Count
Row percent 		15
6.5 %		 101
43.5 %		 116
50 %		 232
100 %

However, Quebec judges appeared to be more likely than judges in the rest of Canada to indicate that their Court of Appeal was valuable to them. [36]

Quebec compared to Rest of Canada * How helpful Court of Appeal in sentencing
  How helpful Court of Appeal in sentencing Total
Very helpful Somewhat helpful Rarely or never helpful
Quebec compared to Rest of Canada Quebec Count
Row percent 		3
12.5 %		 16
66.7 %		 5
20.8 %		 24
100 %
Rest of Canada Count
Row percent 		12
5.8 %		 85
40.9 %
 		 111
53.4 %		 208
100 %
Total Count
Row percent 		15
6.5 %		 101
43.5 %		 116
50 %		 232
100 %

Chi-square = 9.35, df=2, p<.01 (1 low expected value=1.55),
Pooling very and somewhat helpful, Chi-square = 7.85, df=1, p<.05.