Young Peoples Experiences of The Young Offenders Act

Source: (2002) Youth Justice Coalition. Law and Justice Foundation of New South Wales. Downloaded 12 July 2003.

The Young Offenders Act 1997 (New South Wales) introduced diversionary processes for young people alleged to have committed criminal offenses. The YOA focuses on prevention rather than law and order responses to juvenile crime. The scale of interventions under the YOA consists of these three responses, from least intrusive to most intrusive: a warning by police; a caution; and then a conference. The Youth Justice Coalition approved of the YOA but was concerned about the rights of young people, particularly the right to timely and appropriate legal advice. This research report then seeks to illuminate how young people experience the processes in place under the YOA, especially with respect to whether the provisions and spirit of the YOA are being observed. The report provides an introduction, an explanation of the research methodology, the research findings, and conclusions.