Minister of Justice National Youth Justice Policing Award 2016

The Minister of Justice National Youth Justice Policing Award is presented in collaboration with the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police (CACP) and the Canadian Police Association (CPA). The award recognizes police officers who, individually or as a team, develop innovative approaches or promising practices that go beyond the formal court system when dealing with youth in conflict with the law. It celebrates innovative policing and serves to inform the police and wider community about creative responses to youth crime.

The award ceremony is held yearly in August/September and is presented alternately at the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police Annual Conference and the Canadian Police Association Biennial Convention. This year's award will be presented at the Canadian Police Association's Biennial Conference, held September 8-10, 2016, in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island.

A number of factors are considered in determining award eligibility, including:

• The innovation and creativity displayed by police officers dealing with youth who have come in conflict with the law.
• Promising practices or programs that respond to and prevent youth crime.
• The use of extrajudicial measures (for instance, warnings, cautions, or referrals); conferencing as a means of providing advice to decision makers through the youth justice process; or contributing to the rehabilitation and reintegration of youth who have been found guilty.
• Applying proportionate responses to the seriousness of the youth's offences by helping young people understand the impact of their actions and the connection between the offence and its consequences; encouraging the involvement of parents, families and the community in the rehabilitation and reintegration of youth; or increasing community involvement in the youth justice system.

Police services, front-line officers, community groups, justice officials, and citizens are eligible to nominate police officers for this award.

The winner is selected by an Awards Committee consisting of representatives from the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police, the Canadian Police Association, and officials from the Department of Justice Canada.

The winner's name is inscribed on a trophy which remains with the winning police service for a year. He or she also receives a smaller version of the trophy to keep. A Certificate of Recognition is also given to the winner. In addition, $10,000.00 in funding, from the Department of Justice Canada's Youth Justice Fund, is presented in the name of the winner to the successful police service or community organization to support the program that was nominated.

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September 2016
Department of Justice Canada