NCJ Number
60379
Date Published
1978
Length
43 pages
Annotation
FINDINGS, CONCLUSIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF GREAT BRITAIN'S 1969 CHILDREN AND YOUNG PERSON'S ACT FOR DEALING WITH GROWING PROBLEMS OF JUVENILE CRIME ARE PRESENTED.
Abstract
THIS REPORT WAS PRODUCED BY A WORKING PARTY COMPOSED OF THE ORGANIZATIONS MOST CLOSELY INVOLVED WITH JUVENILE DELINQUENCY AND WHICH THEREFORE HAD DIRECT EXPERIENCE IN OPERATING THE LAW'S PROVISIONS. ORGANIZATIONS INVOLVED WERE THE MAGISTRATES ASSOCIATION, ASSOCIATION OF COUNTY COUNCILS, AND ASSOCIATION OF METROPOLITAN AUTHORITIES. THE THREE ASSOCIATIONS SHARED CONCERN OVER THE GROWTH IN JUVENILE CRIME, ESPECIALLY VIOLENT CRIME IN GREAT BRITAIN OVER THE LAST 20 YEARS (1958-1978). THE ORGANIZATIONS AGREED THAT THE 1969 LAW PROVIDES AN APPROPRIATE FRAMEWORK FOR DEALING WITH MOST JUVENILE OFFENDERS, BUT NOT WITH THE HARD CORE OF PERSISTENT OFFENDERS. THE ASSOCIATIONS DISAGREED WITH ONE ANOTHER, HOWEVER, ABOUT APPROPRIATE METHODS AMD POWERS FOR DEALING WITH THESE PERSISTENT OFFENDERS, WHO ARE USUALLY MALES. DISPOSITIONS CURRENTLY AVAILABLE TO COURTS INCLUDE CONDITIONAL DISCHARGE, FINE, SUPERVISION ORDER, CARE ORDER, DETENTION CENTER ORDER, ATTENDANCE CENTER ORDER, AND COMMITTAL TO A CROWN COURT. LOCAL GOVERNMENTS ALSO HAVE SEVERAL ALTERNATIVES UNDER SUPERVISION AND CARE ORDERS. THE MAGISTRATES ASSOCIATION PROPOSED A LAW CHANGE TO PERMIT RESIDENTIAL CARE ORDERS BY THE COURTS. THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATIONS OPPOSED THIS PROPOSAL AND ARGUED THAT LOCAL GOVERNMENTS SHOULD EXERCISE DISCRETION REGARDING TREATMENT OF SERIOUS OFFENDERS AND THAT TREATMENTS OTHER THAN CARE IN SECURE FACILITIES SHOULD BE EMPHASIZED. DESPITE THIS DISAGREEMENT, THE ASSOCIATIONS AGREED ON SEVERAL ADDITIONAL POINTS, INCLUDING THE NEED FOR NONRESIDENTIAL TREATMENT DEVELOPMENT; CLOSE SUPERVISION WITHIN THE COMMUNITY FOR SERIOUS OFFENDERS; PREVENTIVE MEASURES, SUCH AS PROVIDING ADEQUATE HOUSING AND EDUCATION; RESEARCH; AND ENDING THE REMAND OF JUVENILES TO THE REGULAR PRISON DEPARTMENT. A PROPOSED CODE OF PRACTICE OUTLINING PROCEDURES TO BE USED BY LOCAL SOCIAL SERVICE DEPARTMENTS IN DEALING WITH JUVENILE CASES IN THE COURTS, IS PRESENTED. TABLES, STATISTICS ON JUVENILE CRIME, AND APPENDIXES GIVING ADDITIONAL CRIME STATISTICS, STATISTICS ON SECURE FACILITIES IN GREAT BRITAIN, AND WORKING PARTY MEMBERSHIP, ARE ALSO INCLUDED. (CFW)