The prevalence of domestic violence is arguably one of the top health concerns in the country. Understanding its definition can help you to take more effective action against its many manifestations of abuse. In some cases, abusers may not even realize that they’re inflicting domestic violence on someone else. On the flipside, victims may not take action against their abusers if they don’t realize that the behavior they’re experiencing is indeed domestic violence.

Also important is that friends and loved ones of victims are in a better place to help if they understand what domestic violence looks like. Therefore, it’s important that people understand the definition of domestic violence and the many forms it can take.

Definition of Domestic Violence: Types of Abuse

According to the United States Department of Justice Office on Violence Against Women, the definition of domestic violence is a pattern of abusive behavior in any relationship that is used by one partner to gain or maintain control over another intimate partner. Many types of abuse are included in the definition of domestic violence:

• Physical abuse can include hitting, biting, slapping, battering, shoving, punching, pulling hair, burning, cutting, pinching, etc. (any type of violent behavior inflicted on the victim). Physical abuse also includes denying someone medical treatment and forcing drug/alcohol use on someone.
• Sexual abuse occurs when the abuser coerces or attempts to coerce the victim into having sexual contact or sexual behavior without the victim’s consent. This often takes the form of marital rape, attacking sexual body parts, physical violence that is followed by forcing sex, sexually demeaning the victim, or even telling sexual jokes at the victim’s expense.
• Emotional abuse involves invalidating or deflating the victim’s sense of self-worth and/or self-esteem. Emotional abuse often takes the form of constant criticism, name-calling, injuring the victim’s relationship with his/her children, or interfering with the victim’s abilities.
• Economic abuse takes place when the abuser makes or tries to make the victim financially reliant. Economic abusers often seek to maintain total control over financial resources, withhold the victims access to funds, or prohibit the victim from going to school or work.
• Psychological abuse involves the abuser invoking fear through intimidation; threatening to physically hurt himself/herself, the victim, children, the victim’s family or friends, or the pets; destruction of property; injuring the pets; isolating the victim from loved ones; and prohibiting the victim from going to school or work.
• Threats to hit, injure, or use a weapon are a form of psychological abuse.
• Stalking can include following the victim, spying, watching, harassing, showing up at the victim’s home or work, sending gifts, collecting information, making phone calls, leaving written messages, or appearing at a person’s home or workplace. These acts individually are typically legal, but any of these behaviors done continuously results in a stalking crime.
• Cyberstalking refers to online action or repeated emailing that inflicts substantial emotional distress in the recipient.

Definition of Domestic Violence: Victims

Definitions of domestic violence recognize that victims can include anyone, regardless of socioeconomic background, education level, race, age, sexual orientation, religion, or gender. Domestic violence was formerly referred to as wife abuse. However, this term was abandoned when the definition of domestic violence was changed to reflect that wives are not the only ones who can fall victim to domestic violence. The definition of domestic violence now recognizes that victims can be:

• Spouses
• Sexual/Dating/Intimate partners
• Family members
• Children
• Cohabitants

Many people think that a victim of domestic violence can only obtain a protective order against their spouse. This is actually a myth. Most states allow victims of abusive cohabitant lovers to obtain protective orders (also referred to as temporary restraining orders or emergency protective orders). Some states allow victims of abusive adult relatives, roommates, or even non-cohabitating partners to obtain protective orders. The laws in each state are different, so check the most updated laws in your state.

Dating Violence

Dating violence is another form of domestic violence. The Violence Against Women Act defines dating violence according to the relationship between the abuser and victim. Dating violence is committed by a person in a social, romantic, or intimate relationship with the victim. The existence of such relationship is determined using the following factors:

• The length of the relationship
• The type of relationship
• The partners frequency of interaction

Does the Definition of Domestic Violence Apply to Your Situation? Ask an Attorney

A complete definition of domestic violence encompasses many forms of abuse and negative behavior. Domestic violence is a destructive crime that carries life-altering damage to everyone involved. If you have confusion or questions about how the law can address your domestic violence concerns, speak to an skilled family law attorney located near you.

White collar crimes involve criminal activities committed by people in the regular course of their business and involve bribery, extortion, fraud and embezzlement. These crimes usually end in financial gain for the perpetrator.

White Collar Crime

Not every crime involves a smoking gun. Some crimes are committed right under the victim’s nose without a single shot fired! White collar crimes are criminal acts that are performed by people in the course of business committed for financial gain. These types of crimes can cost citizens millions of dollars!

These crimes are difficult to prosecute because they often involve sophisticated systems and even many different people. Frauds typically committed are:

• Bribery
• Extortion
• Fraud
• Embezzlement
• Cybercrime

Government can prosecute both the individual committing the crime and the corporation for which he works.

Fraud

Sometimes, not-so-virtuous business people fraud their clients by misrepresenting facts through words and actions for financial gain. The deceit is intentional and meant to cause the victim to take action upon the facts. The action usually results in a financial injury.

There are certain elements that must be present in a fraud case:

• A false statement of material fact occurred
• The defendant was aware that the statements made were false
• The defendant meant to make the false statements
• The victim relied on the statements to be true
• The victim lost something as a result of the false statements

It is important to understand that not every false statement of fact can be considered a fraudulent act. The statement must be considered a material fact, or a statement that is of such significance that the fact or facts alone were used by the victim to make an important decision.

Let’s say Ramona responded to a classified ad posted by Dwight for an apartment rental. After touring the new digs, Ramona signed on the dotted line and handed Dwight the sum of $1,000. That is one month’s rent and security deposit.

A few weeks later, Ramona arrived at the new apartment to find that tenants occupy the place. She discovered that the apartment was never really for rent. Dwight posed as the owner of the apartment and collected the deposit. As it turned out, he was never a party to the apartment at all. He happened to have a key to the unit from an old girlfriend. He owned nothing!

Dwight is a swindler, and Ramona is the victim of a fraud. The material facts in this case are Dwight’s actions. By showing Ramona the apartment using a key to access the unit and accepting her money, he acted like a landlord.

There are several types of crimes that are considered fraud:

• Insider trading
• False pretense
• Forgery

Insider trading is not entirely fraudulent. Companies can buy and sell stock to their partners and employees as long as the trades are reported to the governing authorities. It becomes illegal when stocks are bought and sold based on information received in violation of a fiduciary trust, meaning information was exchanged between parties where one party had a duty to keep the information private from the public.

Suppose you work for a pharmaceutical company that was working on a cure for cancer. In the course of your day, you receive an email unintended for your eyes that reads, ‘Cure for Cancer to be Announced Tomorrow.’ Armed with this information, you quickly get under your desk and begin secretly calling friends and family, urging them to buy stock in your company immediately. Within hours, all of the available stock shares have been bought – there wasn’t a share left for anyone. This is insider trading! You used confidential information that was not meant for the public for your own financial gain and that of your family and friends.

Another type of fraud is false pretense and involves defrauding someone by using false statements for financial gain. It generally involves the transfer of personal property. A fraud recently making news involved the selling of supposedly winning lottery tickets to unsuspecting victims. To elaborate, the defendant holds what he claims to be a winning lottery ticket in his possession. He approaches his victim and requests that the victim pay him a portion of the winning proceeds in exchange for the ticket.

While most people would run from a scammer with a story as full of holes as this, the defendant explains further that he cannot cash in the ticket because of an immigration issue or a tax lien. Once he gains the trust of the victim, money is exchanged. All along, the defendant knows the ticket is worthless. The victim, however, believes differently. By the time the victim reaches the lottery center to find out the ticket is worthless, the defendant is miles away!

Sex Crimes

Sex crimes are a category of offenses that generally arise when violence occurs during a sexual act, when there is a lack of consent by one party to the sexual act, or when someone engages in sex with an individual who is legally incapable of consent, such as a child. Sex crimes have serious repercussions for those found guilty because they often require not only jail time, but also official registration as a sex offender, which can have an impact on job, housing, and social opportunities for the remainder of one’s life.

Crimes Involving Violence and Lack of Consent

Many sex crimes arise from circumstances when a sexual act is committed in a manner that is offensive to the ordinary individual. The most obvious of these is sexual assault, which occurs when an unwanted sexual act is performed on a victim without his or her consent and often with the use of force. Sexual assault may involve threats, battery, or other violent behavior and can occur with any form of sexual contact, including groping, kissing, penetration, or any other sexual touching. If the victim is threatened or forced into committing an act of sexual intercourse, this is the crime of rape. Rape requires that the victim did not consent to the sexual act, and prosecutions of rape often turn on whether or not the perpetrator reasonably believed that the sex was consensual. In certain circumstances, however, consent cannot be given because the victim is too young to legally provide it. This is called statutory rape.

Crimes Involving Children

Since children have not yet reached the age of maturity and are legally unable to consent to a sexual act, any form of sexual touching with a child is considered to be a crime. Not only do we find such acts legally reprehensible, they are morally offensive as well. Prosecution and investigation of sex crimes involving children can be challenging, however, since childhood trauma or confusion can lead to false reporting and erroneous allegations. For this reason, these crimes must be investigated thoroughly and sensitively. Most commonly, adults may find themselves facing charges of child molestation, which involves a sexual act committed with a child, including inappropriate touching and sexual conduct. Charges may also be brought when the individual is in possession of pornography involving children, for this is always illegal.

Sex Crimes and the Public

Finally, another category of sex crimes that arises is those acts inappropriately committed in a public space. For instance, the crime of public indecency arises when people expose themselves or act in a sexual way that is not appropriate for a public setting. Additionally, the crime of sexual misconduct may apply to sexual acts that offend innocent bystanders or members of the public. Finally, our laws also prohibit the soliciting of sex in public or for money. This is called prostitution. The prohibition of prostitution is a source of significant controversy. While prostitution sometimes occurs in situations that are quite obvious, such as soliciting someone from a street corner, individuals may also find themselves unwittingly propositioned in a situation that they originally thought was an innocent first date, bar hook-up, or other non-criminal circumstance.

According to statistics obtained from the FBI, a property crime was reported about every three seconds in the U.S., and a violent crime was reported about every 22 seconds. Those are sobering statistics. Contrary to what most people think, property crimes are by far the most reported crimes in the United States, not violent crimes; property crimes are about ten times more prevalent than violent crimes. Property crimes reported annually total more than ten million, while violent crimes hover somewhere between 1 and 1 1/2 million each year.

Larceny / Theft
Larceny-theft hits the top of the crime list, far outweighing any other crime. The numbers of larceny-theft in this country are staggering – more than 7 million reported each year, making up almost sixty percent of all reported crimes.

Burglary
The next most prevalent crime is burglary, another property crime. Burglary reports total around 2 million each year, making up about 18 percent of all crimes reported.

Motor Vehicle Theft
Thieves do a thriving business in stolen cars, apparently – there are more than a million stolen cars in the U.S. every year. Car theft accounts for more than ten percent of all reported crimes annually in the United States.

Aggravated Assault
Violent crime comes into the top 5 most common crimes in the United States at number four on the list. According to Princeton.edu, aggravated assault is defined as an attack with intent to cause grave injury to another, and can involve a weapon. With or without a weapon, aggravated assault accounts for about 7 percent of all reported crimes.

Robbery
Robbery comes in at number five on the top five most common crimes in the United States. Robbery is not simple theft – it is a violent crime, and theft performed directly on a person or place. If you are ever mugged, that is robbery. A stick-up of a grocery or liquor store clerk is robbery. There are close to half a million robberies each year in the United States, and they account for about 3 percent of all crime.

Are you surprised at the most common crimes in the United States? Most people believe that murder and rape will fall somewhere on that top five list, but it has never happened. Violent crimes, while prevalent, are never as plentiful as the public thinks, and property crimes are much more likely to happen. So lock your doors and stay vigilant; you never know who might be waiting out there, and you don’t want to be part of the FBI’s statistics.

Bail, also known as a “recognizance of bail“, is a court order that lets you remain in the community while your case is in the court system.

A bail hearing is not a trial. The judge or justice of the peace doesn’t decide whether you’re guilty or innocent. Instead, they decide whether or not you should go back into the community while your case is in criminal court. If you’re denied bail you will be kept in custody while your case is ongoing.

A bail hearing is also known as a show cause hearing. That is because usually the Crown must “show cause” why you shouldn’t be released from custody on the least strict type of release: an undertaking without conditions.  

An undertaking without conditions lets you be released from custody as long as you promise to go to court when required. If the Crown wants you to follow more conditions if you’re released, they must explain to the judge or justice of the peace why.

Sometimes, you may need to “show cause” why you should be allowed to go back into the community while your case is in court. This is called a “reverse onus” bail hearing. A reverse onus bail hearing happens if:

• you were already on a release and now you’re facing new, unrelated criminal charges
• you were already on a release and you didn’t follow your conditions, and have been charged with failure to comply
• you were charged with a drug offence involving the sale of drugs
• you were charged with certain serious offences

At a bail hearing, a judge or justice of the peace will decide if you should be held in custody or released. If you’re granted bail, you will likely have to follow conditions given to you by the court.

How Bail Is Determined

A judge sets the bail amount and generally adheres to standard practices depending on the crime. For example, a petty and nonviolent offense could have a bail amount of $50-$2,000 depending on the jurisdiction. However, judges are also able to set higher or lower bail amounts for different circumstances. The amount is determined based on additional factors such as whether the defendant is a first offender or has a prior criminal record; whether the person is a potential flight risk; and how dangerous the person is to the public. 

Along with the bail charge, the court can issue two types of bond: secured or unsecured. With a secured bond, the defendant either pays – or promises to pay, using the services of a bail bond agent – an amount of money before he or she is released from jail pending trial. With an unsecured bond, the defendant is released upon his or her written promise to appear in court, and if he or she doesn’t appear, must then pay the full bail amount.

Misdemeanors come with much lower bail amounts than felonies do. In both categories, there are different classes that determine the duration of punishment and the bail amount. In some jurisdictions, there are bail schedules that recommend a standard bail amount. For example, for a Class 1 Misdemeanor offense, the minimum jail time could be between 1 and 45 days with a suggested bail cost of $100-$500. Alternatively, for a Class E Felony offense, the minimum jail time could be 15 months with a suggested bail cost of $25,000.

Bail As Incentive

Another reason bail costs are so high is that bail is designed to act as an incentive. In order for the bail money to be refunded at the end of trial, the defendant must attend all court appointments and not violate any other terms of bail (for example, not leaving the state, not committing any additional crimes, etc.). The high cost of bail means that defendants are much more likely to adhere to the conditions of their release so that they don’t lose all the money they (or a bond agent or family member) have put up.

Contact Us

If you’re dealing with an unexpected arrest and need assistance with posting bail for a friend or loved one, contact our Bail Bonds Division today. We’ll work with you to alleviate the high cost of bail and to ensure your loved one’s quick release from jail.

One of the most lucrative business in Ontario today is the firearms business. Not only because Americans have always been obsessed with guns but because with this business you know you will have returning customers. People who buy firearms also need ammo and other gun parts or materials, so they will return to your gun store if you treat them as professionally as possible (true merchant).

In order to acquire a firearms license (also called FFL), that is the license to buy and sell guns, you need to file your application to the United States Department of Justice – Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (also called ATF).

After you submit your FFL application it might take 6-7 weeks before your application is reviewed and processed by the ATF. If everything goes according to plan and all the requirements are met, then your application will be accepted and stored.

Finally you will be issued your firearms license and you are ready to buy and sell guns from then on. The basic license costs around $200 for the first 3 years as of writing this (pretty cheap). Then it’s around $100 for every 3 years.

Researching brands and prices can be very long and tedious. In general, the more you spend, the more the gun is worth, the more proven it is, the higher quality. Usually again, these are the manufacturers that perform more “tests” on their firearms which equates to a slightly higher price. They are going to go that extra little bit without cutting as many corners. They are going to use more expensive materials. One other decent reason to not worry so much about the higher expense, is that they hold their value really, really well. Of course, value also depends on what you have on the gun, night sights, finishes, grips, etc…

The first thing to keep in mind when shopping for a firearms is, no matter what anyone tries to sell you, the truth is… it is what YOU like, not what the dealer wants to get rid of because it has been in inventory too long. It is not what your colleague, acquaintance, or friend thinks is awesome. It is what you feel ergonomically comfortable, the size and caliber are for your needs, the action is what you want, and the look is great as observed by you. Ultimately, you are going to use, keep, and know your firearm. Make sure it is one YOU want. Learn it and use it. Get good at shooting it on a regular basis.

Alright, let’s get down to actual guide of purchase. There is no “set” way of what to do first, but there are important factors to consider. So many in fact that is really comes down to eliminating. The way I feel may be the best way to represent purchasing a firearm is to offer how I would select one. You can by all means choose a different order, but keep some of the factors in mind. The main factors are: manufacturer, action, caliber, ergonomics, safeties, and eye appeal. First and foremost of course is to figure out what your needs are. Are you going for concealed, open carry, short range, long range, competition, target, cowboy, personal defense? etc…

Guns have been thrust back into the national discourse recently, in the wake of the mass shooting in downtown Toronto and the federal government’s plans to explore a potential “full ban” on handguns and assault weapons.

There are various measures of these things and you’ve likely heard some statistics thrown around, in isolation. But these numbers don’t always paint a particularly clear picture. Taken together, however, the data provides a more nuanced perspective.

So, to that end, we’ve gathered decades’ worth of numbers from various sources and compiled them into a handful of charts you can explore below.

Let’s start with homicides.

Guns vs. knives

Stabbings and shootings have consistently been the two most common forms of homicide in this country, but it varies from year to year which one leads the way.

Shootings have been on the rise for the past few years, and in 2016 there were more people killed by guns than by knives in Canada.

The use of handguns, specifically, has also been on the rise.

There were 130 homicides committed with a handgun in 2016, Statistics Canada said in a recent report, which was the most in more than a decade.

Handguns accounted for 21 per cent of the total homicides that year, and 58 per cent of the shooting homicides.

In the United States, by comparison, the report notes there were 7,105 homicides committed with a handgun in 2016, accounting for 47 per cent of all homicides south of the border that year.

Of course, not all shootings are fatal, and guns can be used in a variety of criminal ways. So, has gun crime, in general, been rising or falling?

It depends where you look.

Edmonton no longer gun-crime capital

Gun crime tends to ebb and flow in Canada’s largest urban centres.

From 2013 to 2016, Edmonton had the highest rate of violent crime involving a firearm.

But gun crime has been on decline in the Alberta capital and it has since been overtaken, slightly, by Calgary — and even more so by Toronto — on that front.

The rate of violent gun crime (measured in terms of victims per 100,000 population) has been on the rise in Toronto for the past four years.

Vancouver, by contrast, which had the highest rate back in 2012, has seen a steady decline in violent gun crime and, by 2017, it had the lowest rate of five urban centres studied. (Montreal and Quebec City are excluded from this report due to differences in data collection methods.)

The use of firearms in crime raises the question: Where did the guns come from?

In the past, police have said most crime guns were smuggled into Canada from the United States. But there’s some evidence that’s been changing, with police in Toronto citing a recent surge in the number of illegal guns sourced from within our national borders.

And the stats do show an increase in the theft of firearms, but there’s a bit of catch to those numbers.

Guns stolen in break and enters

While legal gun owners are being charged less frequently with unsafe storage of a firearm, the number of gun-theft charges has grown.

But the specific offence of “breaking and entering to steal firearm” was only added to the Criminal Code of Canada in 2008 and Statistics Canada only began tracking charges under this law in 2009.

As you can see, the rate of these crimes has more than tripled since then, but some degree of ramping up is to be expected, as police services across the country adapt to a new law. And the number of gun thefts edged downward in 2017, with 1,175 incidents last year.

The gun-theft data includes break-ins to both buildings and vehicles.

But police admit there’s is no thorough way to account for the origins of all guns that are used in criminal activity.

The RCMP recently told CBC News that “no such data exists” to provide “a complete, national picture of the sources of crime guns.”

It’s not just in crime, however, that guns can bring harm to Canadians.

Every year, hundreds of people are accidentally shot, too.

Some possible defense tactics to be applied by gangs in possession of guns.

One of the safest and legitimate ways to handle cases pending in court is through guns and gang defence counsel Burlington, who are endowed with impeccable skills regarding the possession of guns and ammunitions. The criminal defense lawyer will be in a position to challenge the legality of the search warrant imposed by the law enforcers, limit questioning by the authorities as well as avoid possible detention.

Stopping illegal guns is difficult, since there are varied sources for illegal guns. I suspect the main source of illegal guns used in most street crimes is theft from homes and businesses. If that’s true, then it may be wise to focus legislation on gun security, rather than gun control.

But even more important is to focus on criminals – the criminals who steal the guns, then use them to victimize the populace. The solution to this problem is more simple than it may seem on the surface. However, our legal system would need to be adapted to these solutions, and it may also be necessary to address housing a temporarily increased number of prisoners. However, by using these solutions, I firmly believe the number of criminals will ultimately decrease.

You must be 18 or older to bring a firearm into Canada. Minors ages 12-18 can bring firearms, but they have to first obtain a minor’s license. To obtain this, it is necessary to pass a firearms safety course. The minor will need to be accompanied by an adult the entire time they are in possession of the firearm, and the adult will be legally responsible for it. Minors can only use non-restricted firearms.

If you have a criminal record it will take longer and be significantly more difficult to bring a firearm into Canada.   It does not matter if the crimes were violent or gun-related. Get your application started much earlier if you have any type of criminal record.

Declare firearms in writing to a customs officer at the point of entry to Canada, using the Non-Resident Firearm Declaration (form RCMP 5589).

If there are more than three firearms, a Non-Resident Firearm Declaration Continuation Sheet (form RCMP 5590) should be added.

The declaration form should be filled out prior to arrival at the point of entry, in order to save time. However, it should not be signed before arriving at the entry point, as a Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) customs officer must witness the signature.

More legislation to limit the actions of people who already follow the law is wasted time, energy, and money. Let’s spend our tax dollars wisely, and impress upon our sometimes misguided representatives the need to work on the real problems, rather than continuing to add more laws that only punish the innocent and have no affect on the guilty.

Introduction

The Youth Criminal Justice Act (YCJA) applies to young people who are 12-17 years old. The law says a person is an adult at age 18. At age 18, the YCJA does not apply. Offenders are referred to as “young persons”. The overall purpose of the YCJA is to make the public feel safe. Young people must be accountable for their actions, which means that they must face the consequences for their wrong-doings. The consequence for the crime must be proportionate to the seriousness of the crime. That means that more serious crimes should have more serious consequences.

Did You Know?

• Most youth who commit crimes are between the ages of 14 and 17.
• If youth are younger than 12 years old, they are not dealt with under the YCJA. The government’s Ministry of Children and Family Development deals with those youth.
• Parents and guardians are told if their child commits a crime. They are asked to come to court to prove the age of their child.

Why do we have the YCJA?

The YCJA treats youth differently from adults because of their level of dependency, maturity and development. There are three principles of the YCJA that promote the long term protection of the public.

1. Prevent crime by addressing the circumstances underlying a young person’s behaviour
2. Rehabilitate and reintegrate young people who commit offences into society
3. Ensure that a young person is subject to meaningful consequences for his or her offence

What Does the YCJA Do?

It establishes a fair and effective youth justice system. Serious and repeat offenders will be dealt with more severely. There are many choices or options in sentencing. Victims, parents and the community are encouraged to become involved in the process whether it is in court or not.

What are “Meaningful Consequences”?

 Meaningful consequences are things done to help youth understand the implications of their actions and to fix the harm done to others. Measures to deal with youth crime should:

• Address the crime
• Mean something to the offender
• Reinforce respect for Canadian values
• Help fix the harm done to victims and the community
• Respect gender, ethnic, cultural, and language differences
• Involve the family, the community, and other groups
• Respond to the needs and lives of Aboriginal youth and youth with special requirements

Non-Violent Crime and First Time Offenders

Most youth who commit crimes are either non-violent or first time offenders. Non-violent and first time offenders will have a range of options other than going to court such as police warnings or police or Crown diversion programs. Extrajudicial Measures and Extrajudicial Sanctions may place young people who offend into programs that will help address their problems and they may also provide an opportunity for restitution to the community. If they go to court sentences could include doing something for the victim to make up for the crime or doing some form of community service.

Violent and Repeat Offenders

Serious violent crimes occur when someone gets hurt as a result of a crime or if there is a serious risk of someone being hurt. For example, a robbery in which no one was injured could be considered “violent” if a gun, or even a replica of a gun, was used as a threat. A youth is a “repeat offender” if s/he has committed a crime before.

An adult sentence can be given to a youth 14-17 years old if that person has been convicted of one of four serious violent offences or if the youth has a pattern of convictions for violent offences, or if the offence is one for which an adult could receive more than two years in jail. This means that when a youth (14, 15, 16 or older) commits attempted murder, murder, manslaughter, aggravated sexual assault or a third serious violent offence an adult sentence shall be imposed if the youth is found guilty.

The trial is always held in youth court. A province may fix an age greater than 14 years but not more than 16 years for the purpose of the application of the provisions relating to these presumptive offences. The YCJA can provide for a sentence that includes special supervision if the youth has committed one of the more serious crimes. This special supervision is called “intensive rehabilitative custody.” The maximum youth sentence is ten years for first-degree murder, six years served in custody and four years under supervision.

The YCJA states that the media may publish the name of a youth who has been convicted of a serious violent crime and has received an adult sentence. If the youth does get an adult sentence for a serious violent crime, then the records are treated in the same way as if the youth were an adult.

These circuits provide rushes of positive feeling and feel-good chemicals to “reward” substance use.

The areas of the brain responsible for stress and self-control also undergo long-term changes during an addictive disorder. This contributes to on-going difficulties in abstaining from the addictive substance.

Why does addiction occur?

Drug use is often voluntary in the first instance. The development of a full addiction occurs through a variety of circumstances.

However, the brain changes during a substance-related disorder in ways that can take a long time to bring back to a healthy state.

A person whose brain’s reward circuitry has not altered as a result of addiction experiences positive feelings in relation to generally rewarding behaviors, such as exercising, being with family, or consuming delicious food. These should all make a person feel good.

This might motivate a person to repeat these behaviors and regain that positive feeling.

Substances produce a euphoric feeling by triggering large amounts of dopamine in certain regions of the brain responsible for the feeling of reward. Addiction occurs when the act of using a substance takes over these circuits and increases the urge to consume more and more of the substance in order to achieve the same rewarding effect.

A substance use disorder eventually no longer causes the same rewarding feelings that it once caused. However, if the person abstains from using the substance, they begin to feel symptoms of withdrawal, which can be extremely unpleasant.

The person often finds themselves using the substance just to feel “normal” — which generally means preventing the discomfort of withdrawal symptoms.

Using drugs and alcohol to moderate mood can also impair the functioning of the prefrontal cortex, a section of the brain that manages executive decision-making. This part of the brain should alert a person to the harmful consequences of such behavior, but addiction impairs its ability to carry out this function.

A combination of these three mechanisms and the risk factors for addiction can lead to the development of an addictive disorder.

Another clear contributor to addiction is the type of substance a person takes. For example, opioids are highly addictive as they target receptors in the brain directly.

Many maintain that marijuana is less addictive in terms of its chemical content, but, instead, targets the pleasure and reward centers of the brain. Further research is necessary to support these claims.

What makes addiction grow worse?

Many people metabolize drugs in different ways.

Some people, for example, do not require much alcohol to reach the point of intoxication. Others can seemingly drink vast quantities without feeling intoxicated.

This often relates to a combination of age, gender, body weight, and other factors.

As part of regularly consuming large amounts of a substance, the body may become accustomed to its effects and metabolize it more efficiently. The person may require increased amounts of the substance to achieve the same effect that smaller amounts of the substance used to create.

Medicine generally refers to this phenomenon as tolerance.

When tolerance increases alongside the need to take a substance to avoid withdrawal symptoms, it often indicates the onset of an addictive disorder. If a person does not receive treatment, it can lead to dangerous consequences.