Description
Panel: Penality: Borders between youth, adult and family justice.While much academic ink has been spilled on developments in youth justice from the 1980s to the present time (see, most recently, Goldson et al, 2020), few studies have examined ‘contrasts in tolerance’ (Downes, 1988) within the justice system itself. This lacuna was addressed through PhD research comparing and contrasting the youth, adult and young adult systems in three countries, namely, Ireland, Scotland and the Netherlands. All of these countries have reputations for progressive or innovative youth justice systems, although the same cannot always be said of the adult or young adult justice system within the same countries.
Drawing on empirical research carried out in these countries, this paper argues that the criminological literature to date has not paid sufficient attention to the boundaries between the youth and adult systems, the 'exit points', and the way in which they constitute one another. By examining who is included or excluded from the youth justice system there is an opportunity to learn about a system's values and assumptions. Ultimately, when thinking about penal change, this paper argues that there is a need to move away from a dualistic approach (punitiveness in the adult or youth justice sector) and towards cross-sectoral analysis.
| Period | 9 Jul 2024 → 12 Jul 2024 |
|---|---|
| Event title | British Society of Criminology Conference: Criminology in Times of Transition |
| Event type | Conference |
| Location | Glasgow, United KingdomShow on map |
| Degree of Recognition | International |