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Charges · Youth charges · Alberta

What happens when a young person is charged in Alberta?

What it means, what usually happens next, and what to bring to the first call.

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By Ali Sheikh, Remandly (founder, not a lawyer) · Published under a standard reviewed by an Ontario-licensed criminal lawyer, called to the bar in 2017. Alberta procedure can differ.

Last reviewed September 22, 2026 · Updated October 16, 2026

In short

  • When a young person aged 12 to 17 is charged, police and the Crown are expected to consider warnings and extrajudicial measures first, and youth records have strict privacy rules.
  • In Alberta, youth court is part of the Alberta Court of Justice, and every youth charged is eligible for a lawyer through Legal Aid Alberta.
  • A parent is told when a young person is arrested or held.

What usually happens next

  1. Step 1

    Arrest and the station You have the right to talk to a lawyer in private. You do not have to answer police questions.

  2. Step 2

    Police decide Police can release you with conditions and a court date, or hold you for a bail hearing.

What should you bring to the first call?

How it works in Alberta

Which court hears it in Alberta

In Alberta, youth charges are heard in the youth court of the Alberta Court of Justice, a separate system for people aged 12 to 17. The Court says young people must be held accountable but should not be treated the same as adults.

Bail in Alberta

A youth held in Alberta goes to a first-appearance bail hearing before a justice of the peace, by video or phone, with a Crown prosecutor appearing. Legal Aid Alberta provides a duty counsel lawyer for a youth’s first appearance, free of charge.

Programs and diversion in Alberta

The Alberta Court of Justice says the Youth Criminal Justice Act emphasizes rehabilitation, the chance for youth to mature, learn from mistakes and make amends. Alberta restorative justice accepts post-charge referrals from the courts.

The local process in Alberta

All youth in Alberta are eligible for a lawyer when charged; call Legal Aid Alberta at 1-866-845-3425. A parent cannot apply for legal aid on the child’s behalf, and Legal Aid Alberta prioritizes callers under 18.

What do people ask about youth charges?

Do I have to talk to the police?

No - a person does not have to answer police questions, and anyone arrested or detained has the right to speak to a lawyer, and police must tell them that.

Who counts as a young person?

Under the Youth Criminal Justice Act, a young person is someone 12 or older but under 18 at the time of the offence. Someone younger than 12 is a child under the Act.

Sources

Alberta sources

Federal law sources

Free 24/7 criminal law information · not legal advice. Legal Aid Alberta: 1-866-845-3425

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