In England and Wales today, by virtue of Part 4 of the Anti-Social
In England and Wales today, by virtue of Part 4 of the Anti-Social
‘King hits’, ‘alcohol and drug fuelled violence’ and ‘unprovoked attacks’ are amongst the reasons in which the following precipitated an outcry within the public and society. Among these incidents are the deaths of Daniel Christie and Thomas Kelly in The Kings Cross entertainment precinct. Both ‘king hits’ have occurred within only a little over the past two years and have thusly gained public attention. The public have had an immense emotional and empathetic response as the article written by Peta Doherty (2014) stated “an emotional plea to end mindless violence had been viewed 819,712 times, attracted nearly 25,000 likes and more than 6000 comments, with numbers increasing by the second.” Alcohol and drugs within the youth have been linked as major influences to the ‘king hit’ nature of the violent events occurring in Kings Cross. According to the Australian National Council of Drugs (2008) studies have been shown “estimating that 451,000 children are exposed to binge drinking and that 70,000 live with a daily cannabis user.” Furthermore this exposure and easy accessibility has influenced according to Stephen Lunn (2008) “a rite of passage to adulthood” approach among adolescents towards alcohol and drugs. A commonly shared resolution among society is tougher punishments and sentencing reforms for the ‘one hit punchers.’ This can be seen after the death of Thomas Kelly which then prompted a nation-wide appeal that “delivered a 132,000 signature petition” which served to attempt change within the state government for harsher sentencing laws. Society has also made steps in addressing and pressuring the government to resolve the problem as the initiative was taken for the ‘lock out’ of all pubs and clubs at 1:30am and last alcoholic drinks at 3:00am. This attempt at a resolution is not only being attempted within The Kings Cross entertainment precinct but within all of Sydney.…
How has the introduction of contestability and the mixed economy affected Offender Management in the UK ?…
In this essay it is important to introduce the three main perspectives on crime, law and order based primarily on young people. Whilst considering these three areas; classicism, positivism and social constructionism, it is essential to demonstrate an understanding, finally giving a brief discussion of these whilst reflecting the influence these have had on contemporary theory and practice in youth justice.…
The Youth Criminal Justice Act is the law that governs Canada's youth justice system. It applies to youth who are at least 12 but under 18 years old, who are alleged to have committed criminal offences. In over a century of youth justice legislation in Canada, there have been three youth justice statutes: the Juvenile Delinquents Act (1908-1984), the Young Offenders Act (YOA) (1984-2003), and the Youth Criminal Justice Act (YCJA) (2003-present). A set of amendments to the YCJA was adopted by Parliament in 2012. The purpose of this document is to explain the background of the YCJA, to provide a summary of its main provisions and the rationale behind them, and to highlight the experience under the YCJA.…
In this essay I shall focus upon the issue of anti-social behaviour orders (ASBOs). Since ASBOs were introduced an increasing debate has been taking place over how effective ASBOs actually are at punishing and deterring criminal behaviour. I aim to examine whether or not ASBOs have been successful in punishing and deterring criminal behaviour, the ways in which they punish and deter this behaviour and the perception of ASBOs within British society.…
Davies, Z and McMahon, W. (2007) Debating youth justice from punishment to problem solving. Centre for Crime and Justice Studies, Kings College London…
Under fire from the date of its creation, the debate over the validity of the Young Offender's Act continues. Should the YOA remain in its current form as a part of the Canadian legal system? An examination of the reasons it is seen as being ineffective, the need for change, and the suggested amendments and substitutes will provide an accurate picture of the situation from which a conclusion can be drawn. The young offenders act in its current form is nearly optimal. However, there enough reasons for its alteration that a serious consideration of amendments should be considered.…
This project will focus on the British criminal justice system in the 1950s regarding juvenile behaviour. The research will explore the ways used to prevent juvenile crime, the social and psychological motivation for crime, and the way that the criminal justice system aimed to rehabilitate those convicted of a juvenile offence. To explore these areas an understanding of ‘delinquency,’ and its’ consequences is needed. According to Wirt and Briggs ‘delinquency involves personal suffering as well as a loss to society.’1 This suggests that juveniles are not mindfully delinquent as their actions have repercussions on their own lives. Yet, it has also been claimed that delinquent juveniles should not be held fully responsible for their actions due to their age. Therefore the criminal justice system has mirrored this premise from the industrial revolution onwards, when children became protected by legislation governing child labour and subsequent areas involving juvenile activity.2 Furthermore, there have been claims regarding the relationship between juvenile delinquency and social upbringing, hence social class. This is a much debated area and one in which this research will explore further by focusing on primary sources from areas with differing social conditions. This argument is well represented by Sutherland who claims that criminal apprehension is heightened by those who are economically advantaged;3 a general principle for many and the underlying theme of this research. A number of reasons for juvenile delinquency were given in the form of reports from the County Borough of Stockport, the Borstal Recreational Centre and the Juvenile Delinquency Panel from the City of Nottingham Education Committee. At the heart of these was the perception of social class, supported by medical and legal institutions following the theory of eugenics; a…
Children (Community Service Orders) Act 1987 (NSW): This out outlines supervisory processes of juvenile offenders placed on community service orders…
With holding youths accountable in a fair manner, it could make a great contribution to the protection of not only to the youths within society but also the adult citizens. The article youth criminal justice act: new directions and implementation issues (2004) explained that "it can make a contribution to the protection of the public in the long-term. Parliaments references to protection of the public indicate that such protection is a desired long-term outcome or result of the activities of the youth justice system". The article goes on further to explain that the emphasis of protection of youth crime can protect the citizens within society at a greater…
In Australia, during 2010 there was approximately 38 young people incarcerated per 100,000, and this is why many believe the incarceration of youth to be one of the biggest issues in Australia. While these figures have dropped dramatically since 1981, many believe it can be lowered further. South Australia’s youth are prosecuted in accordance to the Young Offenders Act of 1993, which applies to youth between the ages of 10-17. This act aims to maintain social cohesion and progress, and it attempts to do this by assisting young people at risk from becoming involved in criminal activity, and to prevent reoffending through the provision of appropriate services and programs. Many members of the public believe, that the incarceration of the youth is not only ineffective and unnecessary, but also damaging the youth and causing recidivism, and instead we should follow…
It is widely known that when teenagers are released from these facilities, most of the time are the same persons who entered, but now having traumas and struggle to continue with their lives, or continue causing problems to society. “Yet these institutions have never been found to reduce the criminality of troubled young people... For decades now, follow-up studies tracking youth released…
At this point the Youth Criminal Justice Act has many components to it and has only been in place for four years. As a result it is unclear as to whether or not there are any unintended or latent consequences from its implementation. As of right now, the Act appears to be a success; however the outcome of the future will provide a more definite answer to its…
Francis, P. (2007) ‘Young People, Victims and Crime’ in Davies, P., Francis, P. and Greer C. (eds.) Victims, Crime and Society. London: Sage…
The ongoing growth of alcohol fuelled violence and causalities has sparked interest in the media recently, particularly after the death of ‘one punch’ victim Daniel Christie. Over many years there have been deaths as a result of alcohol fuelled violence but due to the increasingly rapid pace of fatalities it has dominated today’s media. Found to be more common in boys the Australia wide epidemic, including the brutal and often fatal “king hit”, has now been branded as ‘cowardly’ as it is more suiting for this ruthless act of force. Although there have been attempts to prevent this behaviour, such as the Newcastle mandatory lock out that saw a 37% decrease in violence, this has not proven to be enough for clubs and bars all over Australia to embrace the same method. Since the devastating death of Daniel Christie in 2013, more and more articles have come forth in regards to this issue. The article “Sentencing a side issue that won’t end street violence,” written by Pat Easton, presents an argument that is no different to others who seek to end this violence. The second article titled “Don’t blame the booze, it’s a zero tolerance on violence that’s needed,” written by Mike Keane, is similar in contention to the first article though offers an alternative possible solution of addressing individual responsibility. Finally, in the confrontational letter to the editor, Ian Stevenson brings forward yet another possible solution, at the fault of the parents.…