Canada- Boy, 12, arrested in four Toronto sex assaults on walking trails in the city’s east end, July 2022

[dotr]

A preteen doing this at all is obviously disturbing but the fact that he did it again even after he must have known that 1) he was caught on camera and 2) that the police were looking into this seriously enough that his pictures were released is an extra layer of chilling to me.

Unfortunately i just requested that the sketch of the poi be taken down.

 

[ChatteringBirds]

I still think he's a kid who had completely free unsupervised access to the Internet and was viewing bad things. He learned the predatory behavior somewhere. I realize he may be a victim, too.

I assume now he'll get a lot of professional help. I wonder if his parents/guardians are also going to be required to get therapy/ take parenting classes? He started this at 11-years-old, so something can't be right with his supervision somewhere. JMO.

 

[Eli9]

So children under 12 aren't charged with any type of offense or is it just sexual assault. I've never heard of that. TIA

 

[dotr]

rbbm

WARMNGTON: Boy too young to do time for alleged sex assaults. Until he turned 12

The boy has been charged with sexual assault in two cases, but will not face charges in five others because he was 11 years old at the time.

torontosun.com

''This does raise the question about whether there needs to be reforms to the youth system to lower the bar to any age committing a serious crime and also in being able to identify them. While many would not want to destroy the life of a child, there are many who understand there are youth who use this system to their advantage.''

One can never forget about the victims either. A child can kill someone and make them just as dead as an adult. And can also harm them in other ways as well. The only silver lining in this story is at least now this accused will face a future court date for two of these alleged serious criminal acts.

Perhaps even more important than whatever punishment is decided upon is some serious intervention into this pre-teen with a view to protecting the public in the future. Any treatment has to be matched with the people within the vicinity of where he lives, the potential risk that they could face. A predator at any age is just that to potential victims.

That said, these are special circumstances where special measures and approaches need to be deployed, for his future and for those around him. There’s already been too many alleged victims.''

 

[dotr]

So children under 12 aren't charged with any type of offense or is it just sexual assault. I've never heard of that. TIA

The Youth Criminal Justice Act

How Canada's Youth Criminal Justice Act (YCJA) works.

www2.gov.bc.ca

''Children Under 12​

Children under 12 cannot be charged or tried for a criminal offence under the Criminal Code or YCJA. When a child under the age of 12 is caught doing something illegal, the police will likely inform their parents, who can then get help from the child’s school or a community organization. In more serious situations, the Ministry of Children and Family Development’s child protection services may become involved.''

 

[ChatteringBirds]

Maybe the law needs to change for serious crimes. Charge up to age - 12 (or whatever) under a special system for juveniles, figure out a way to keep the community safe from them and get help for them and their families. Keep them in the system receiving therapy or follow-up for some years to come. They can be kept out of a risky lock-up situation or lifelong criminal record but will learn about the law, right-and-wrong, controlling impulses, and consequences.
JMO.

 

[OrangeCash]

This is one to keep in mind for the future. I wouldn't feel safe around him ever
MOO

 

[Eli9]

Hopefully reforms will happen. He already had so many victims before he turned 12.

 

[LadyL]

These kind of behaviors tend to escalate by getting more and more violent, so better LE catches him before he progresses to murder.

he'll still escalate IMO
I don't believe there's any treatment for these kinds of people
he'll pretend to get better and then he'll go right back out and start committing crimes again JMO