Referral Orders

• Under the act, all young offenders between the ages of 10 and 17 who plead guilty and are convicted for the first time are referred to a youth offender panel. How long the offender sees the panel depends on the severity of the crime. All orders range between three and 12 months.
  
  

Young Offender Panels

• The young offender panels are made of two volunteers and a court officer. They are responsible for talking with the offender, their parents and the victim of the crime. They then create a contract where the offender agrees to make amends for the crime he committed.
  
  

Competence of Witnesses

• The act also includes competence requirements for witnesses. Any witness is competent to testify if she can lawfully give evidence in a case. If she is not able to understand the questions, she may be exempt. Also, children under the age of 14 are not permitted to give sworn evidence.