A History of Youth Justice charts the development of juvenile justice in England and Wales from the time of its earliest distinctions from adult justice. It explores the major trends across political generations, contextualised by political pressures, personalities, events and ideologies driving change. The author also details the rise and fall of each innovation, from the prison hulks to boot camps, examining their impetus, implementation and problems.

The book highlights recurring issues in the formation and implementation of interventions with young offenders. It notes the consistencies in hopes and fears from policies, and the repeated problems and mistakes. Furthermore the book relates these patterns to the most recent generation of youth justice interventions showing how we are still repeating hopes and mistakes from the past.

The author asks how much this history can tell us about 'what works' in youth justice provision and what has repeatedly not worked. The book presents a typical model of policy development and uses this to predict the pitfalls in current and future developments. The conclusions challenge policymakers to learn key lessons from the past for the success of youth justice in the future.

Contenu

Introduction Part 1: Charting the Development of Youth Justice in England and Wales
1. The New Delinquency Problem and Early Answers (1750-1810s) 3. Early State Involvement and Prisons for Children (1820-1830s) 4. The Child-Saving Reformative Movement (1840-1890s) 5. Development of a Youth Justice System: Courts, Probation and Borstals (1900-1920s) 6. The Welfarist Peak and Punitive Backlash (1930-1950s) 7. The Rise of Treatments and Diversion (1960-1980s) 8. "No More Excuses" (1990-2010s) Part 2: Learning Lessons from the Past: Policy Messages
  1. Lessons Lost: Trends and Patterns in Youth Justice Policies 10. Lessons Learned: 'What Works' from the History of Youth Justice