This book provides a comprehensive, student-friendly and critical introduction to youth justice in England and Wales, offering a balanced evaluation of its development, rationale, nature and evidence base. It explores the evolution of definitions and explanations of youth offending and examines the responses to it that constitute youth justice.
Bringing together theory, policy and practice, this book provides a balanced exposition of contemporary youth justice debates, including detailed discussions of governmental rationales, policy developments, practical issues and an extensive evaluation of critical academic positions. It includes a range of features designed to engage and inspire students:
- ‘Stop and think’: Activities challenging students to reflect on important issues.
- ‘Conversations’: Discussions of key themes and issues from the perspectives and experiences of relevant stakeholders, including policy makers and activists.
- ‘Telling it like it is’: Testimonies giving voice to the personalised, subjective and contentious viewpoints of youth justice influencers.
- ‘Controversies and debates’: Prompts to stimulate students to question and critique established knowledge and understanding by considering alternative angles.
- ‘Recurring theme alerts’: Boxes flagging recurring themes in the developing construction of youth offending and youth justice.
The new edition has been fully revised and updated and includes discussion of revised National Standards in Youth Justice, the new ‘Child First’ strategic objective for youth justice, the ‘trauma informed practice’ movement, the impact of coronavirus on children in the Youth Justice System and the continued impact of austerity on policy and practice.
This book is essential reading for students taking courses in youth justice, youth offending, youth crime, youth work and social policy.
Introduction 1.Defining youth offending: The social construction of ‘youth offending’ 2.Explaining youth offending: Individual, socio-structural and systemic causes 3.Explaining youth offending: Risk factor theories 4.Responding to youth offending: The social construction of youth justice 5.Responding to youth offending: New Labour and the ‘new youth justice’ 6.Responding to youth offending: A newer ‘new youth justice’ Conclusion
Biography
Stephen Case is a professor of criminology and Director of Studies in the Department of Social Sciences at Loughborough University, UK. He has conducted large-scale funded research projects for the Nuffield Foundation, the Leverhulme Trust, the Youth Justice Board, the National Institute for Social Care and Health Research, the Economic and Social Research Council and the Welsh Government.
Steve Case’s "Youth Justice - A Critical Introduction" provides an essential introduction to youth justice in England and Wales, indeed I’d say is the essential introductory text, and as such fills a gap last occupied when Donald West first published his seminal ‘The Young Offender’ in 1967. Stimulating, balanced, but with a committed and challenging edge to it, no student, youth justice practitioner, or policy maker should allow themselves to be far away from a copy.
Professor John Drew, Professor at University of Bedfordshire and Former Chief Executive of the Youth Justice Board for England and Wales (2009-2013).
