The boy's lawyer said he's not out of control, he just repeatedly finds himself in the middle of sticky situations.

"I know it doesn't look good," Serena Puranen said. "I've never seen him enraged, I've never seen him upset. He's a 12-year-old who is generally quite scared."

He's 12 years old and in the past nine months has been charged with everything from vandalism to assault and breaching court orders.
The courts have been catching and releasing him for months and the Crown says he is out of control and should not be released on bail.
What to do?

If you're Judge Marvin Garfinkle, you hit him where it hurts. At a hearing last week, Garfinkle granted the boy bail, but only after he agreed to provide the court his most valued possession as security -- his Nintendo Wii.

The boy's release conditions include keeping the peace, appearing for court dates, living with his grandmother and participating in a bail management program. If he breaches any of the conditions, it's bye-bye Wii.

"He is pledging as a security, akin to a cash deposit, his Nintendo Wii," Garfinkle said. "And if he doesn't comply, he loses it."

The boy's first run-in with the law was last February when he allegedly used a rock-filled sock to smash the door windows of his elementary school. Days later, he chased a classmate and punched him several times in the face.

Police released him on an undertaking but it wasn't long before he was in trouble again, this time for breaching a court order he not attend his school. He is accused of breaching that order at least three times.

"It's almost as if he's taunting the school," said Crown attorney Susan Baragar.

In August, he allegedly hit another boy over the head with a pool cue. His latest arrest was Oct. 16 when he allegedly attacked a male student and female teacher at his new school following a game of dodge ball.

"While the youth is 12 years old, it is our submission he is clearly out of control and will not obey any rules your honour may lay down for him," Baragar told Garfinkle.

The boy's lawyer said he's not out of control, he just repeatedly finds himself in the middle of sticky situations.

"I know it doesn't look good," Serena Puranen said. "I've never seen him enraged, I've never seen him upset. He's a 12-year-old who is generally quite scared."

And the kid who was punched in the face (allegedly) is 2 years older than the accused.

the report from the youth bail worker was positive

The kid hasn't been convicted of anything yet, and some of the charges were supposed to be dropped when he finished some classes, he just hadn't finished all the classes (There's a lot missing from the report, as usual).

Just out of curiosity, Susan please enlighten us as to what you would say on behalf of this client were you representing him. It is easy to be critical. I don't see you offering up a better alternative.

Maybe not all people connected with the legal system are stupid.

What are you going to do, send a twelve year old to the Federal Pen.?

It looks like "sticky situations" was the word choice of the reporter. The article quotes extensively about what was said in the courtroom and each direct phrase that was quoted was placed in quotation marks. The phrase sticky situations is not put in quotation marks, so it seems unlikely that the defence lawyer used those words herself.

Looks like the lawyer said it; and I never saw a retraction in the paper stating the lawyer was misquoted.

But do you really think asking a kid who's parents are on social assistance to pay for damage the kid caused is going to work? So his little brothers and sisters go without food for a week because Mom had to pay for a window?

Seriously- the child hasn't been convicted of anything yet!!!

Legal Dictionary

Main Entry: 1crim·i·nal
Pronunciation: 'kri-m&-n&l
Function: adjective
1 : relating to, involving, or being a crime
2 : relating to crime or its prosecution criminal action> —compare CIVIL 4, PENAL

Main Entry: 2criminal
Function: noun
1 : one who has committed a crime
2 : a person who has been convicted of a crime

Looks like the lawyer said it; and I never saw a retraction in the paper stating the lawyer was misquoted.
That’s either a comment from a facetious and sarcastic individual, or from someone who reads at a fourth grade level.

The boy's lawyer said he's not out of control, he just repeatedly finds himself in the middle of sticky situations.

When your "solution" causes all other kinds problems, its not much of a solution.

"I know it doesn't look good," Serena Puranen said. "I've never seen him enraged, I've never seen him upset. He's a 12-year-old who is generally quite scared."

Could be she should sit down give him some titty and talk through his fears then tell him how special he is and how the rest of the world is obviously wrong in their way of living.

And as usual my suggestions on how to deal with these kind of cases are brushed aside was unworkable, but no alternatives are offered up

locking up young people in prison for fairly minor offences (such as vandalism or stealing) can make the problems that lead to them committing crime become worse and introduce them to a life of criminality by being exposed to other offenders

The only ones that can be made responsible are the youths themselves or the youths' parents or guardians. The currnet system, the young offenders commit crimes & get at most a stern lecture before being released; so all they learn is that there are no serious consequences for their actions.

First you tell the parents/guardians that they are not allowed any effective means of control over a child then you expect them to be responsible for the actions of the child you wouldn't let them gain control of.