Source: (2001) CYC-Online 29 (June). Cape Town, South Africa: The International Child and Youth Care Network.
Ann Skelton is a program manager in the UNDP (United Nations Development Programme) Office for Child Justice in South Africa. Diversion, she writes, means giving communities a greater stake in justice. This is particularly the case when diversions are of a restorative justice character. Diversion of this kind can be a very good way of dealing with crime – with offenders, victims, and the communities affected. At the same time, it is vital that standards be developed and maintained in diversion programs to protect the rights of offenders. Against this background, Skelton looks in some detail at the draft Child Justice Bill in South Africa with respect to provisions that set standards and ensure rights for young offenders.
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