Youth justice committees are groups of volunteers working in partnership with Alberta's justice system to deal with youth in their communities.

Youth Justice Committees:

• allow citizens to work out differences between young offenders, victims and community members
• provide support for young offenders
• provide community-based resolutions to youth crime
• provide young offenders with an alternative to the formal court process and the possibility of time in custody
• resolve legal conflicts through extrajudicial sanctions, community-service work, and meeting with victims and community members
• provide sentencing advice to the youth court
• authorized by section 18 of the Youth Criminal Justice Act

• Young persons should be held accountable for their criminal behaviour.
• There must be regard for the rights and freedoms of young persons and victims.
• The least intrusive alternatives and restrictions of a young person's freedom must be sought while maintaining the protection of the community.
• The community has a right and responsibility to participate in the youth justice system. A youth justice committee can provide the opportunity for citizens to be directly involved in reconciling the differences between the young offender, victims and community members.

Administer the Extrajudicial Sanctions Program

Committees administer the Extrajudicial Sanctions Program. This involves dealing with first- and second-time offenders who have committed minor offences and have admitted responsibility. The Youth Criminal Justice Act provides legislative authority for the use of voluntary measures rather than requiring a youth to appear before a youth court.

The following objectives for an Extrajudicial Sanctions Program are consistent with the intent of the Youth Criminal Justice Act:

• To prevent, where feasible, the acquisition of a criminal record.
• To prevent the continuation of criminal behavior.
• To promote community involvement and foster community awareness through participation in the Extrajudicial Sanctions Program. This is facilitated through imposing sanctions that require community service work, victim compensation through personal service and the victim/young person agreements.