NCJ Number
140933
Journal
Criminology Australia Volume: 4 Issue: 1 Dated: (July-August 1992) Pages: 2-4
Date Published
1992
Length
3 pages
Annotation
The Children and Young Persons Act 1989 represents the most significant event affecting the current juvenile justice system in Victoria, Australia.
Abstract
The legislation separates services, programs, and responses relating to children with welfare needs from those involved in criminal activity. Therefore, the legislation has profoundly affected the organization and operations of both the Children's Court and Community Services Victoria. The new law creates two new sentencing options -- the youth supervision order and the youth residential center order and establishes a sentencing hierarchy for Children's Court, beginning with dismissal and ascending to nonaccountable undertaking, accountable undertaking, good behavior bond, fine, probation, youth supervision order, youth attendance order, youth residential center order, and youth training center order. In addition, the legislation emphasizes the rights of children and their families, establishes the minimum age of criminality at 10 years, and provides for a wider range of court responses to fine default. The Victoria juvenile justice system has two primary diversion programs for young offenders -- police cautioning and a victim-offender mediation program. 3 notes and 1 reference