NCJ Number
61381
Editor(s)
M KELLY
Date Published
1978
Length
22 pages
Annotation
THE PROBLEMS THAT CONFRONT YOUNG OFFENDERS IN AUSTRALIA ARE DESCRIBED IN THIS BOOKLET WITH EMPHASIS ON THE SOCIAL AND EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND OF THE OFFENDERS, AND ON PROJECTS TO ASSIST THEM.
Abstract
IDENTIFICATION OF YOUNG OFFENDERS AND OF THE POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS TO DELINQUENCY ARE PRESENTED FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF THE OFFENDERS THEMSELVES AND THE SOCIAL WORKERS WHO HELP DELINQUENTS. THESE PEOPLE, INCLUDING THE STAFF OF THE FOUR FLATS PROJECT IN VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA, INDICATE THAT POOR EDUCATIONAL PERFORMANCE AND SUBSEQUENT LOW SELF-ESTEEM IS AN IMPORTANT CAUSE OF JUVENILE CRIME. ADDITIONALLY, THE POLICING SYSTEM IN AUSTRALIA APPEARS TO CONCENTRATE ITS EFFORTS ON JUVENILES FROM LOWER SOCIOECONOMIC LEVELS, WHILE PERMITTING JUVENILES FROM BETTER CIRCUMSTANCES TO BE RELEASED WITH WARNINGS. NUMEROUS FAULTS ARE IDENTIFIED IN THE TREATMENT OF JUVENILE OFFENDERS, INCLUDING THEIR FREQUENT PLACEMENT IN PRISON FACILITIES. OFTEN JUVENILES WHO HAVE NOT COMMITTED CRIMES, BUT WHO ARE WARDS OF THE STATE, ARE HOUSED WITH OFFENDERS. ALTHOUGH A MELBOURNE STUDY SHOWED A 109 PERCENT INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF JUVENILES APPEARING IN COURT BETWEEN THE YEARS 1960 AND 1975, IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO CONCLUDE THAT THIS INCREASE IS SOLELY RELATED TO 'THE REBELLIOUSNESS OF YOUTH,' AS IT MAY REFLECT CHANGES IN POLICE METHODS AND RECORDING OF OFFENSES. PROGRAMS WHICH ASSIST OFFENDERS AFTER THEIR RELEASE FROM PRISON OR TRAINING CENTERS EMPHASIZE THE DEVELOPMENT OF SELF-CONFIDENCE AND EMPLOYMENT SKILLS WHICH ARE NOT BEING TAUGHT IN INSTITUTIONS. QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION AND TALKS FROM INTERVIEWS WITH YOUNG OFFENDERS ARE PROVIDED. ILLUSTRATIONS AND A BIBLIOGRAPHY SUPPLEMENT THE TEXT. (TWK)