Source: (1994) University of Cape Town. Institute of Criminology. Occasional Paper Series.
The authors review South Africa’s institutional court procedures for handling youth offenders — only slightly modified practices of the adult offender courts — and their contribution to increasing youth delinquency and recidivism. Discussion follows of draft legislation formulated by a UCT Institute of Criminology panel that proposes a reversal of the approach to handling youth offenders. Proposals incorporate many Restorative Justice principles and practices (such as family group conferencing) aimed at protecting youth offenders from adult criminals, speeding up the court process, approaching sentencing with culturally sensitivity, and in promoting rehabilitation and restoration. The article concludes with the details of the guiding principles for reform of youth intervention programs.
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