NCJ Number
149961
Journal
Youth Studies Australia Volume: 13 Issue: 1 Dated: (Autumn 1994) Pages: 29- 35
Date Published
1994
Length
7 pages
Annotation
Although New South Wales (NSW) has been perceived in the past having a relatively punitive juvenile justice system, changes have been implemented in the 1990's that focus on diverting juvenile detainees from custody and on rehabilitation.
Abstract
In the 1986-1987 period, NSW courts placed almost 1,500 juveniles in correctional institutions. In 1988, one in every 10 juveniles who appeared before a NSW Children's Court on a criminal matter was ordered into custody. In 1990, the Youth Justice Commission produced a report that outlined juvenile justice reforms for the 1990's. In addition, the Juvenile Justice Advisory Council (JJAC) was established in 1991 to provide advice to government officials on juvenile justice policies. The JJAC determined that the future direction for juvenile justice in NSW should focus on managing juvenile offenders in the community when possible in order to sustain and enhance family and community ties, limit the negative impact of incarceration on young people, and minimize juvenile detention costs. The use of conditional release for juvenile offenders is discussed, and an integrated approach to managing juveniles in custody is described. The provision of educational services in juvenile justice centers, as part of the Community Care Program, is also detailed. 9 references, 1 table, and 1 figure