There are a number of options for custody. These range from designated young offender centres and youth units in other facilities through to a group home or similarly supervised residences.

Reintegration Leave

Any time while a youth is in custody, the youth can apply for a reintegration leave (section 91). This leave is meant to rehabilitate the youth and prepare him or her for reintegration into the community. This reintegration leave can be for medical, compassionate or humanitarian reasons, or to help the youth with rehabilitation or reintegration into the community. Leave granted for any of these reasons can be up to 30 days.

Reintegration leave can also be given for a specified period of time in order to:

• attend school or any other educational or training institution;
• keep a job or do household or other duties required by the young person’s family;
• participate in a program that will help the youth to find and keep a job or improve his or her education;
• attend a treatment program that will meet the young person’s needs.

Reintegration leaves can be renewed. They can also be taken away and the young person returned to custody.

Supervision Conditions on Custody and Supervision Sentences

Each custody and supervision sentence includes some time when the youth will be supervised in the community. The youth will have to follow conditions during the supervision phase of the sentence. Depending on the type of custody and supervision sentence that the youth is serving and the details of the case, the conditions will be slightly different for each case and the person who sets those conditions may also vary.

For “regular” custody and supervision orders (those under section 42(2)(n)), there are mandatory or required conditions on each order. In addition to the mandatory conditions, the provincial director can also give some optional conditions that the director thinks would help address the young person’s needs, promote reintegration and protect the public.

The following are the mandatory conditions (section 97(1)) on a “regular” custody and supervision order:

• keep the peace and be of good behaviour
• report to and be under the supervision of the provincial director;
• advise the provincial director immediately if arrested or questioned by the police;