A History of Youth Justice in New Zealand

Introduction

The Children, Young Persons and Their Families Act 1989 revolutionised New Zealand youth justice practices, establishing an innovative set of principles and procedures to govern the response to young offenders, and to manage the role of the State in the lives of young people and their families.

The founding objective of the legislation is 'to promote the wellbeing of children, young persons, and their families and family groups' (section 4). The Act thus seeks to empower families and communities, rather than professionals, in deciding the best measures to respond to offending behaviour in children and young people

This report will explore the background to the youth justice provisions of the Act, both internationally and domestically, with the hope that an understanding of the system's evolution will render a better insight into the principles behind this innovative piece of legislation.

Part One will first outline the international trends in attitudes to youth justice, where shifting philosophies reflect the changing views of children as alternately in need of nurturing and strict control.

Part Two will then explore the New Zealand experience, which initially followed international trends but later introduced ground-breaking systems in response to the problem of youth offending.