Many people have tried to correct this problem that they see as a weakness. Yet, so far their attempts have failed. Another weakness they find, is that the courts are expensive and unsatisfactory methods of dealing with crime that is not very serious. Before the fabrication of legal aid most young offenders were not able to obtain legal services. If no such program is available or the young person is unable to obtain counsel through an available program, the youth court judge may, and on the request of the young person shall direct the young person to be represented by counsel.
Special problems can arise when the client is a young person.
The problems faced by this, is the young person may not be able to communicate with counsel. While the lawyer and young person need not a specific statement for the client as to a preferred outcome it should take form of a general expression of the client's feelings or attitudes in the major issues of the precedings the young person must be able to make decisions that may hold significant repercussions. Mental health of the young offender can also be a problem. Currently this issue is not addressed in the Young Offenders Act, before the mental health act can be enacted, extremely dangerous behaviour must be displayed. Before the age of 16 they are sometimes placed in hospitals for a short time under the authority of the legal guardians.