One of the biggest questions in modern society has been this: How do you treat juvenile Delinquents? Over the last century the answer to this question has been approached in different ways. The Juvenile Delinquents Act, passed in 1908, lasted until 1982 when the Young Offenders Act replaced it. Under these Acts the children were held solely responsible for their crimes. Now parents are going to be held responsible under the Youth Criminal Justice Act. In society's quest to find a solution that will work controversial issues arise and one understands what drastic measures may need to be taken to resolve this problem.
             The Juvenile Delinquents Act was passed in 1908. Under this Act, children between the ages of seven and fifteen were considered innocent of all their actions. This was because it was believed that these children needed to be saved from the corruption of the adult world through the use of a kind, firm, and judicious juvenile court. (Dickinson 403). "These courts acted, in a sense, as parents for society's delinquent children - a concept that became known as parens patriae" (Dickinson 403). The innocence of children was based on the fact that they were not considered to be mature and capable enough to make the right decision. It would be in the best interest of the children to give them a second chance, with the juvenile courts being the delinquent's guardian as opposed to making them experience the harsh judicial system that adults faced. "Many people felt that the turn-of-the-century ideas towards juvenile crime were ridiculously naive in the face of growing, serious crimina!
             l conduct by increasingly sophisticated adolescents. Society deserved to be protected from the juvenile offenders"(Dickinson 403). Criticism for this Act became more negative as society discovered it wasn't helping their problem.
             The Young Offenders Act (Y.O.A.) was passed in 1982 and came into effect i...