Webinar Series on Bail Reform 101 – Legal Perspectives on Bail
Overview
Join us for a three-part webinar series exploring bail reform in Canada with leading researchers, legal experts, and community leaders.
The Nova Scotia Criminal Justice Association (NSCJA) is pleased to present a three-part Webinar Series on Bail Reform, bringing together legal experts, academic researchers, and community justice leaders to discuss the evolving landscape of bail policy in Canada.
Bail reform continues to be one of the most widely debated issues within Canada’s justice system. This series will explore the legal framework of bail, current policy discussions, research findings, and the impact of bail processes on individuals and communities.
Each session will provide participants with the opportunity to hear from recognized subject matter experts and gain insights from multiple perspectives within the justice system.
This series is intended for justice professionals, policymakers, students, researchers, and members of the public interested in learning more about bail practices, reform discussions, and community impacts.
Participants will also have the opportunity to engage with speakers through moderated questions and discussion.
Session 2
April 24, 2026 | 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM (AST)
J. Patrick Young, Crown Attorney, Nova Scotia Public Prosecution Service, Recipient of the John Dunlop Award.
J. Patrick Young will discuss the legal framework governing bail in Nova Scotia and provide insights into the Crown perspective on public safety, judicial discretion, and current reform discussions. J. Patrick Young is a Senior Crown Counsel with the Nova Public Prosecution Service in Pictou. He has been a lawyer for 20 years, and a prosecutor for almost all that time. He was called to the P.E.I. Bar in 2006, the Alberta Bar in 2007, and the N.S. Bar in 2010. He holds a B.A. in Political Studies from the University of Prince Edward Island, an M.A. in Political Science from Carleton University, and a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) from the University of New Brunswick law school. He has nearly completed a Master of Laws in Criminal Law and Procedure (LL.M.) from Osgoode Hall Law School. He is the first Crown Attorney to have been awarded the NSCJA’s prestigious John Dunlop Award for “significant contributions to the criminal justice system and the community in 2020.” He joined the NSCJA Board in 2023 and sits on the Board of Directors of the Canadian Criminal Justice Association.
Session Focus: Legal framework and prosecutorial perspectives on bail in Nova Scotia.
REGISTRATION INFORMATION
Registration is free and open to the public. You will receive a Zoom link prior to the event