Services in Ontario
Youth criminal justice
Aboriginal Legal Services (ALS)
In Toronto, ALS provides Indigenous court workers and the Community Council diversion program. They also write Gladue reports in various locations in Ontario. They don’t provide criminal lawyers to represent you in court. Outside of Toronto, there are other Indigenous organizations that offer support to Indigenous people charged with a crime.
Justice for Children and Youth
Justice for Children and Youth (JFCY) gives free legal help to children and youth in Ontario. JFCY serves
- children under age 18
- youth under age 25 who are experiencing homelessness
- youth under age 25 who arrived in Canada as children and who have issues with their immigration status
- parents of children with immigration issues that need to be registered for school
- people and community groups who work with young people
JFCY provides services in many areas of children’s law. For example, youth criminal justice, education, mental health, human rights, provincial offences, and immigration.
JFCY offers 30 minutes of free legal advice over the phone. They may be able to give you more help or refer you to another organization, depending on your situation.