Family Group Conferences With Young Offenders in New Zealand (From Family Group Conferences: Perspectives on Policy and Practice, P 65-87, 1996, Joe Hudson, Allison Morris, et al, eds. - See NCJ-161303)

• NCJ Number: 161306
• Author(s): T Stewart
• Date Published: 1996
• Length: 23 pages
• Sale Source: Criminal Justice Press/Willow Tree Press
• Publication Type: Report (Technical Assistance)
• Language: English
• Country: Australia

Annotation

New Zealand established the family group conference to provide a new and flexible method for making decisions about juvenile offenders and other youth; the process entails specific roles for the participants, particularly the coordinator.

Abstract

The procedure can be used to increase the range of diversionary options for youthful offenders, ensure a shift in philosophy from one of unilateral government intervention in children's lives to one based on partnership with the government, permit the affirmation of culturally diverse values and processes, and involve victims in decisionmaking about offenders. The legislation states that the juvenile, parents or guardian, family members, representative of the cultural authority in whose care the child has been placed, the youth justice coordinator, a police representative, a victim or victim representative, the offender's attorney or advocate, a social worker, and sometimes others are entitled to attend the conference. The conference is intended to produce a three-part result: (1) the giving and accepting of an apology, (2) restitution or other reparation, and (3) the penalty. The coordinator prepares a report of the plan; the youth justice social worker monitors the plan. Case examples