Secure custody means jail for young persons with bars and electronic security. Young persons sentenced to open or secure custody do not receive the statutory or earned remission or parole that adults receive. Young persons serve the real time to which they are sentenced. In Ontario, there are no weekend or intermittent sentences for young persons. An adolescent who has served 6 months of his or her custody term may apply to the original sentencing judge to reduce the custodial portion of the original sentence.
Temporary absences are sometimes available from the provincial director.
45 Contrary to public perception , Youth Court records are not destroyed at age 18. Evidence of prior findings of guilt under the Young Offenders Act are often used against adults in Court at bail hearings and sentencing. After periods of time, Youth Court records are made not available, i.e. they may be purged from the local police or R.C.M.P. databases. Notwithstanding these provisions, fingerprints are transferred to the Special Fingerprints Repository and are destroyed after a further five years. Individuals with records prior to December 1995 should apply to the R.C.M.P. to obtain the benefit of these sections.