Individuals aged 12 to 17 years who are
guilty of any illegal act under the Controlled
Drugs and Substances Act or Criminal Code are considered Young Offenders. This can
place a stigma on those found to have committed a crime in their teenage
years, and can also make it hard for these offenders to find gainful employment
once the time comes for them to do so.
Juvenile convictions are not any different from adult convictions – one
would still have to wait three years for summary convictions, all the way up to
ten years for grave offenses. One would
have to file for a Canadian pardon in order to have his criminal record cleared
accordingly.
The case with adult
offenders is the same with Young Offenders – the same documents need to be
completed, the same process has to followed, the waiting times above need to be
completed and all fees and restitution taken care of. A Canada pardon is necessary because criminal
records of Young Offenders do not disappear automatically on their 18th
birthday.
One can take
advantage of the assistance offered by the Canadian Pardon Services, or pay a
third-party company to help with completing the application. Pardon applications can be quite extensive in
their scope, and the accuracy of the documents contained in such applications
is paramount in ensuring the success of a pardon. The aforementioned third-party companies
offer free quotes and advice on the pardons process, so it is recommended that
a Young Offender call them up and speak to them before filing for a pardon
application.
Read more information about Canadian pardons by visiting this site.