The paper first outlines the philosophy of the Young Offender's Act. It recognizes that juveniles must be held accountable for criminal acts, but not always in the same manner or to the same extent as adults. It extends rights and safeguards to youth that go beyond those guaranteed adults; and it recognizes that youth, because of their adolescence, have special needs and circumstances that must be considered in any discussions made pursuant to the Young Offenders' Act. The act specifically states that young persons who commit offenses require supervision, discipline, and control, but because of their state of dependency and level of development, they also have special needs that require assistance and guidance. After a review of these features of the Young Offenders' Act, this paper identifies the legislative tools that aid in the identification of the special needs of youth and practical problems in their use. Also considered are the sentencing responses that have the potential to address the special needs of a particular youth. The final section of the paper identifies issues central to the preservation and legitimate justification of a distinct juvenile justice regime.