Protocols for Reporting in Youth Justice: Report on Ethical Problems and Strategies

Assessment Task – General (Student Version)
National Unit Details
Code(s) Title(s)
Work Uphold and support the ethics and values of working within a
justice environment
Assessment Task
Number 2 Title Report – protocols for reporting
Section 1 – Assessment Task Overview and Description
This is an individual assessment task and is to be completed outside of class hours.
You are required to read the scenario and conduct research to answer the questions in a report format.
Your report must be well written, structured, and referenced as described in the Diploma of Justice home
page CANVAS shell.
Your report is to total 1500 words +/- 100 words. This requires concise writing and you must satisfactorily
answer each part of all the questions.
Scenario:
You are a Youth Justice Worker for Youth Justice (Custodial) Services in Parkville. This is a division of the
Department of Justice and Community Services Safety that provides secure facilities and support for young
people aged between 10 and 18, and 18 to 21-year-old females who have been sentenced to a senior youth
training centre order by an adult court.
Young people in these facilities often have a background of complex disadvantages, which can include:
 Homelessness
 Family violence
 A lack of family support
 Mental illness
 Intellectual disability
 Substance abuse
 Lack of education
 Low socioeconomic status, and;
 Previous involvement of the child protection system.
A key focus of the role of a Youth Justice Worker is to supervise young people fairly and consistently with
interventions that address criminogenic needs, encouraging pro-social behaviours delivered appropriately to
reflect the cognitive abilities and diversity of young people while addressing consequences for inappropriate
behaviour and maintaining security.
You are annoyed at a co-worker’s open hostility, harshness, and lack of support towards the youth in the unit
you are working in particularly when you and she are working alone. This behaviour includes shouting at the
youth, talking about them within their hearing range to other staff members, and gossiping about them in the
staff room.
You have previously raised your concerns with this co-worker. She has been dismissive and abrupt.
However, her tone and demeanour changes when the supervisor comes into the unit. Her behaviour has
escalated. She is now using an inappropriate label of ‘sociopath’ when referring to certain youths from a
culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds in the unit. You confront her again. She responds that you
are making a big deal out of nothing and lodges a complaint against you for bullying her.

Assessment Task – General (Student Version)
National Unit Details
Code(s) Title(s)
Work Uphold and support the ethics and values of working within a
justice environment
Assessment Task
Number 2 Title Report – protocols for reporting
Question 1
Briefly explain 2 real and 2 potential ethical problem/s within the above scenario in the context of each of the
following:
a. Justice and Community Safety ‘Child Safe Code of Conduct’
b. Cultural safety and inclusion for children and young people in Youth Justice
c. Victorian Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities Act 2006
Answer:
a) From the perspective of Justice and Community Safety ‘Child Safe Code of Conduct it can be
identified that two real issues that are identified as associated with shouting at youth and not taking
concern regarding the prevailing cause has resulted into major problems like harshness and lack of
support towards the youth in unit. The potential causes can include child abuse and sexual offense.
b) With help of given study, it can be identified that Cultural safety and inclusion for children and young
people in Youth Justice is highly required. The real issues that are found in it includes lack of social
culture and proper linguistic behaviours is recognized. The potential causes that required to
highlight comprises improper concern towards the agenda of particular authority and it can spread
negative impact on society regarding the same.
c) The law has been set to protect rights of all people and is responsible and obligated towards
government. From this authority perspective two issues that are required to highlight includes lack of
maintaining security and proper compliance with delated responsibility. Two potential causes
comprise unethical behaviour towards targeted audience can create negative image and result in
government related obligation.
Question 2
Explain the fundamental ethical principles that should be followed in this scenario in the context of each of
the following
a. Justice
b. Respect for the person; and
c. Responsible care
Answer:

Assessment Task – General (Student Version)
National Unit Details
Code(s) Title(s)
Work Uphold and support the ethics and values of working within a
justice environment
Assessment Task
Number 2 Title Report – protocols for reporting
a) This ethical principle in the given context of justice includes respect of autonomy and beneficence
which are required to be followed in the particular situation but has been avoided by the stated
worker. Justice should be provided by individual by respecting so that beneficial outcome can be
given.
b) In the principle of respecting people incudes giving choice of autonomous, making person
responsible for taking decision and giving serious consideration. Beneficence and autonomy are
two important aspects that should be focused by worker. These principles can help in giving higher
consideration towards issues
c) Responsible care is the one of the important ethical fundamental principle that is concerned with
providing proper environment that is positive towards health & safety.
These mentioned three principles should be followed by the person highlighted in case study.
Question 3
Explain the decision-making process you would follow to form a judgment of unethical conduct in the above
scenario.
Answer:
The decision making procedure in the given case can be exerted by making proper choice of action
that can give ethical judgment. It can be done by identifying the different factors that are causing issue by
applying ethical behaviour model. It will provide assistance in making proper evaluation of prevailing
unethical problems which are creating unethical environment and affecting people (Garner, 2021).
Identifying proper evaluation of alternatives that can be used to improve the situation along with appropriate
assessment of its pros & cons. In addition to this, the decision making procedure for this case can include
making significant selection of action that can positively improve situation and give suitable course of
action. This steps can provide instructions in making proper judgment regarding the prevailing circumstances
which can help in gaining extent of its impact on selected audience.
Question 4
In Youth Justice before escalating a matter explain who you would discuss:
a. Your concerns related to the treatment of the youths and the lack of respect for diversity, and;

Assessment Task – General (Student Version)
National Unit Details
Code(s) Title(s)
Work Uphold and support the ethics and values of working within a
justice environment
Assessment Task
Number 2 Title Report – protocols for reporting
b. The problem-solving process.
Answer:
In youth justice the higher consideration should be given to ethical manner of treatment that can
favourably affect mentality and physical health of people. From the analysis it can be articulated that in the
provided situation youth got harsh and lack of respect diversity which is unethical and does not give solution
to their existing problems. Lack of respect of diversity & harsh behaviour complaints can be done to
Australian child commissioners and guardians that are responsible for protecting human rights of youth. This
person is responsible for providing security facilitates in Australia. They can as well take some action in
against of co-worker for protecting rights of co-workers.
The problem solving procedure can be exerted by having knowledge regarding prevailing issues
in turn better consideration by taking suitable action may have implemented (Moylan and et.al., 2020). It will
help in getting the proper extent of information for implementing actions like spreading awareness about
human rights, charging penalty for unethical behaviour, providing training for proper conducting, etc.
Question 5
In terms of your rights to put your case forward and be heard, and the right to know the
outcomes/recommendations of an investigation against you.
From a justice perspective explain the procedures that should be followed for:
a. Natural justice
b. Procedural fairness
Answer:
From the justice perspective in context of natural justice it can be interpreted that contacting a court and
other official authorities such as legislative committee a government agency for solving the problems. In
natural justice procedure it can be articulated that case can be forwarded and heard by contacting particular
state and territory in Australia which has its own youth justice legislation, policies, etc. which can help the
users to be get way to obtain appropriate justification. There are different course of actions which can be
utilized to get the natural justice by having proper implemented of ethical actions.
Procedural fair is dependent on process producing correct outcome to victim or not. It is basically having
significant steps that can give proper implication of legal actions concerned with required level of justice to