The vast majority of young people engage in impulsive or risky behavior, even delinquent behavior during adolescence. However, the majority become very productive citizens who do not commit crimes. For this to continue, the government has established the Youth Criminal Justice Act (YCJA) which gives young offenders the chance to better themselves. In this way, the YCJA helps teach youth that their actions are unacceptable and that the punishments imposed are less than those imposed on an adult. Through the analysis of their unacceptable actions, lesser punishments and a better future, it is clear that the YCJA is very effective in giving young people a better chance in society. The YCJA teaches young people that their actions were unacceptable but that there will still be consequences without giving them heavy prison time. One way the government does this is through “conferences.” The conferences allow young people to participate in a program with the victim and their family to learn about the consequences of their behavior and develop ways to make amends. Typically, a conference would bring together the offender, his or her family, the victim and his or her supporters in an informal setting. An open discussion about the offense and its impact would then begin with a resolution that could ultimately even be a simple apology. The idea for the conferences arose from family group conferences practiced in New Zealand and Australia, as well as rulings from Aboriginal circles. In 1997, the House of Commons Justice Committee recommended that the youth criminal justice system adopt conferencing as a sentencing option. The conference is very advantageous for the offender because it gives them the opportunity to see first...half of the document...enile justice experts." CLEONet. 02 June 2010. Web. 02 June 2010. ." The forensic psychology student group | Tory Bill Proposes Publicizing Names of Violent Youth Offenders." Hostmedia - Web Hosting, Winnipeg, Canada. Web. 02 June 2010. .The Legal Status of Sixteen- and Seventeen-Year-Old Youth in Ontario. Toronto, Ontario: Canadian Foundation for Children Youth and the Law (Justice for Children and Youth), 1993. Print. “Youth Justice Council – Youth Justice System.” March 23, 2010. Zuker, Marvin A., Roderick C. Flynn, and Randolph C. Hammond Handbook of Children's Law Toronto: Thomson Carswell, 2005. Print.