Source: (2002) In,UNAFEI Annual Report for 2000 and Resource Material Series No. 59. Tokyo: United Nations Asia and Far East Institute for the Prevention of Crime and Treatment of Offenders. Pp. 164-182.
This document discusses community involvement in the juvenile justice system in England. The Youth Justice Board has funded 39 schemes of mentoring projects for young offenders. Most of the offenders that get mentors are minor offenders. In evaluating these mentoring programs, it was found that recruitment was difficult in the more affluent areas. The question of police background checks is also an issue. The right level of supervision and support to offer mentors is also a question to be dealt with. The Youth Justice Board is extending the mentoring program in two specific areas: improving literacy and math skills; and extending to ethnic minorities. Three other areas of community involvement in Youth Justice are “appropriate adults,â€? Boards of Visitors, and visitors to police stations. All of these people are there to ensure proper treatment and understanding by the offender as to the charges against him or her. Referral orders are a new development in England and resemble Family Group Conferencing. A referral order is made by the youth court and is for people with no previous conviction. The decisionmaking process is given to a Youth Offender Panel. Abstract courtesy of National Criminal Justice Reference Service, www.ncjrs.org.
Your donation helps Prison Fellowship International repair the harm caused by crime by emphasizing accountability, forgiveness, and making amends for prisoners and those affected by their actions. When victims, offenders, and community members meet to decide how to do that, the results are transformational.
Donate Now