Feds Vow to Change Youth Justice Act: Canada

"make it easier to jail young offenders prior to trial and to impose
harsher sentences if judges believe it will deter other lawbreakers."

i studied psychology and a little bit of criminology back in school.  usually youths crimes are committed (statistically speaking, in canada) between the hours of 3pm to 6pm weekdays.  the significance?  that's when they are off school and before parents get home from work (most families are dual income now).  stats also show that increasing youths involvement in after-school activities (whatever it might be) would decrease their involvement in criminal activities.  many academics believe they just don't have "interesting" things to do.  also, poverty and lack of moral education and lack of a positive out look on life usually is the reason for participating in criminal activities for anyone.  lack of public funding in after school activities, youths being poor and being hypnotized  in this consumer culture, all play a part.

in basic psychology (child and adult), it's been long established that punishment isn't a deterrence because it prevents discussion and examination of the root society/social/psychological cause(s), and hence the situation(s) that makes youths (and adults) participate in criminal activities would never be changed. 

a very simple logic:  the US (from my perspective), has employed a harsher justice system for some time now.  so what are the result?  

(harper, bush, blair...)

one last note, last time i checked, crime rates have been steadily inclining since the 80's in canada (studied this in school, was very surprised since the media and politicians are always talking about how crimes are taking over the city/province/country).