Introduction
In rare cases, a young person can be sentenced as an adult. This tutorial provides a clear analytical framework for judges tasked with deciding whether a young person should be held liable to an adult sentence, in line with the requirements of the YCJA and the Supreme Court's guidance in the landmark cases of R v I.M., 2025 SCC 23 and R v S.B., 2025 SCC 24.
Updates
The content of this tutorial was last updated in May 2026.
