Comparing Youth Justice in UK and Australia

This essay compares the youth justice system in UK and Australia, examining the similarities and differences, historical, political, societal and economic factors that affect the criminal justice system of both nations, and evaluates and compares the effectiveness of the youth justice system in both countries.

Assessment 1 1500 word essay
Learning Outcomes
1. Demonstrate knowledge of the aims and benefits of comparative criminology
2. Analyse the nature and causes of crime across societies
3. Examine the influence of various factors, including history, culture and politics, on the
development of different criminal justice systems and processes
Assessment Details and Instructions
Select one area of criminal justice (e.g. police, procedural justice, punishment, youth justice) and
two (2) nations across which to compare the approaches and practices of your chosen areas.
Address the following:
 Explain the similarities and differences of your chosen criminal justice area across the
selected nations
 Examine why these similarities and differences exist, e.g. historical, political, societal or
economic factors
 Evaluate and compare the effectiveness of your chosen criminal justice area across the
selected nations.
Your essay must be 1500 words (+/-10%) in length and integrate a minimum of 10 valid
references. All citations must conform to the APA 7 referencing style.

Similarities and differences of youth justice across the UK and Australia
Introduction-
Youth justice system is a very unique concept. It plays significant role in administering
criminal justice system which aims to secure the rights of the juvenile. With the emergence of
industrialization and commercialization, the crime rate are also increased. The main reason
behind increase in crime rate are poverty, unemployment, social exclusion and many
more(Travers, 2022). The legislative framework laid down by various countries to safeguard
the rights of the juvenile. There are various International Conventions and treaties that provides
the way and methods to analyse the conduct and behaviour of juvenile who involves in criminal
activities. It facilitates the mechanism and enforcement body which are responsible for to
maintain peace and harmony in the society. This essay will analyse the similarities and
dissimilarities of the UK and Australia youth justice system. Further, it will cover the historical
concept of youth justice system and their social, economic and political factor that affect the
criminal justice system of both the nation
Similarities between the juvenile justice in UK and Australia-
In both the countries UK and Australia, the youth justice system or juvenile justice both
are same term which function for the interest of the young generation who offend. This system
help the juvenile in rehabilitate by studying the reasons and circumstance of crime (Millar and
Whiteford, 2020). This assist in improving the behaviour of juvenile so, that they again
integrated in the society (Haines & Case, 2018). There are certain similarity of youth criminal
justice between Australia and UK such as both the countries focus on rehabilitating the
juveniles in order to reintegrate into the society by providing vocational training, education and
parenting programs. Both countries emphasis on establishment of special courts for children
and rehabilitation centres in order prevent contact with hard core criminals. In UK and
Australia the juvenile system divided into two parts that deals with less serious offences and
heinous offences. The children court punished the juvenile as per the offence. The social factor
behind increasing rate of crime among juvenile is lack of parenting, education and their
surroundings(Triplett, 2018). moreover, in Australia and UK, the economical factors also a
major cause of increasing the crime rate among youth as they indulged in unlawful activities for
earning their livelihood. It is due to improper formulation of policies by the counties (Squires,
2020).

For this legal system of both countries introduce various types of programs which assist
in preventing the crime in which youth are involved. For example, providing education,
vocational training in order to integrate into the society. The mediation and conflict resolution
programme, victim offender mediation, community reparative boards, circle sentencing and
family group conferencing are some of the programmes for restoration of criminal justice
system. UK and Australia share the same constitutional monarchies with vesting of powers in
the monarch by having the authoritative power of the Crown or Governor General in reference
to its political similarity. Australia follows the common law system of UK which majorly
influences the courts of Australia (Blagg & Anthony, 2019)
Difference between the youth criminal system of Australia and UK
The difference is that the age define under the youth criminal system of Australia is 10
to 17 years, On the other hand in UK youth criminal justice system the age of juvenile
considered as young people under the age of 18. Moreover, there are various key differences
between both the countries with respect to the juvenilia system. The country Australia, each
states and territory have its separate youth justice system, procedure and practices , on the other
hand the youth criminal system in UK is common for each state and territory of the country.
The service of interpersonal training with individual counselling and behavioural programmes
are some of juvenile rehabilitation services of UK. Both of them are different because the
juliennes are more protected under the law of Australia as compare to UK. The rehabilitation
programmes provides physiological theory with productive research are juvenile rehabilitation
services of Australia (Broidy, Payne & Piquero, 2018).
Historical factors and differences between the UK and Australian legal system-
The establishment of Youth Justice system was examined since nineteenth century. The
history of youth crime is very complex and difficult to administer. Youth crime and disorder
was the major issue because of poor enforcement bodies were there. With the emergence of
modernization and industrialization, new kinds of crime was evolved that forced the
Commonwealth government to take necessary measures to overcome these challenges of youth
crime (Goldson, 2018)). The new turn came into criminal justice system when government
enforced the important legislation to secure the right of youth person as per the Australian
Human Right Commission. It provides various provision related to detention of offenders and
prevention of crime (Jacobs, (2022). The Australia is a It is important to socially recognise their

needs and interference within the society to secure them from mental trauma and victimization.
The Internation Convention and agreement were signed by both countries to develop
youth justice policies and practices to administer the criminal justice system. There are some
important International Convention that are specifically dealing with the protection of child and
youth such Article 12 of United Nation Convention on Right of Child in the year 1989, Article
3 of the UN Standards and Minimum rules for Administration of Juvenile Justice, 1984. These
International rules directed the policy makers to administer the youth also, consider the
political , economic and social factor to ensure them safety and rehabilitate them to develop
their personal growth (Mpofu, Nyiransekuye & Levers, 2022). These Convention forced the
government to raise the minimum age of criminal responsibility in Australia in order to reduce
number of young people entering into the purview of youth justice system and detention.
Societal and economical reasons for differences between UK and Australia with relate to
Juvenile justice-
In Australia, social reform related to Youth justice system evolved long back in
nineteenth century. The crime rate was increased due to globalisation and modernization of
various industries, crime against person was increased due to which various legal reforms were
introduced to address the criminal trials against the youth offender. In year 1992, Youth justice
Act, was designed in order to reduce crime rates. It provides secure detention and rehabilitate
facilities to youth criminals (Gautam, 2021). There are various factors such as poverty,
unemployment , migration , social exclusion etc. that forced them to commit crime to earn
livelihood. The major reform has been taken to provide proper care and direction to them in
order to ensure social recognition and economic growth of such offender. The Youth justice
and amendment Act, 2016, deals with youth justice principles that are outlined to provide
restorative based justice system (Kim, (2021).
In UK, the criminal justice of England and Wales are unique and complex. The Youth
justice system strives the restitution and rehabilitation of its juvenile offenders. The British
legal system aims to safeguard the right of youth and children against cruelty and violation in
the society. The another legislation was the children and Young Person Act of 1933 deals with
establishment of court system to treat the youth offenders (Malvaso, Delfabbro & Day, 2019).
The UK history has observed various amendments and enactments to provide proper guidance

and rehabilitation of youth.. The Molony report Committee was an important development that
was made to formally establish the youth judicial system. Youth criminal justice system
defines the legal framework to safeguard the right of the youth offender. It aims to safeguard
the society from criminal activities in order to maintain peace and security in the country
(McFarlane, 2018). There are various International Convention and agreement that were made
between many member states to govern the criminal justice system within territory. The
government played signifiant role to establish effective justice system by establishing the
process of investigation , prosecution and rehabilitation.
In UK, many progress has been made with the help of reforms to develop the youth
related legislation. They analysed the factors that influence them to commit serious crimes
(Islam, Dias & Huda,2021). They found that social exclusion, metal illness, poverty, Illiteracy,
unemployment were some of the serious issues that allows them to commit crime. The
government has introduced many initiatives such as Parenting programmes which provided
them to overcome the risk that affects their personal growth and behaviour (Mallett, 2018). The
increase in restorative justice is one of the strongest reason for the growth of youth justice
system as this approach is universally recognised by many states.
Effectiveness of Juvenile Justice-
Whereas, Australian Constitution intervenes in the establishment of Juvenile and Youth
justice system. After great political and social reform well known as progressive reform
assumed the obligation of protecting neglected and abounded youth. They established proper
mechanism to discover their needs and reason of misbehaviour in order to treat and rehabilitate
them rather then punishment (Pleysier, 2018). The United Nation Rules for the Protection of
Juveniles Deprived of their liberty (1990) facilitates relevant provisions to protect the right and
interest of children from real harm and ensure personal security (Molla,2021). The Australian
laws are more protective as compare to the UK as it initiates more protection to the aggrieved
party.
CONCLUSION
This report concludes that the youth justice system is contemporary issue of the modern
world. The regulation and Convention were adopted to rehabilitate the young offender by using

various programme that trained and develop the skills and knowledge of the offender to made
them right person for society. The sources of laws has significant impact on providing the
legislative framework to socially and economically weaker section of youth who indulge in
criminal activities to harbour their livelihood. The Australian and UK youth justice system is
based on different approach that aims to transform the youth custody and facilitate best
alternative method to rehabilitate the juvenile from criminal activities.

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Wiley & Sonsthe essay