Offending behaviour in childhood is a significant predictor of subsequent offending, offending in adulthood and chronic offending. Intervention provided at an early age and stage of offending is more effective than that provided later in the offending history. This research aimed to advance understanding of juvenile crime, its health and substance abuse patterns, cognitive correlates and offence trajectories, thereby facilitating effective policies and practices to reduce recidivism, improve health and create prosocial alternatives for young Australians at risk of a criminal career.

Offending behaviour in childhood is a significant predictor of subsequent offending; early intervention is more effective than that provided later. This research aimed to advance understanding of juvenile crime, its health/substance abuse patterns, cognitive correlates and offence trajectories to facilitate effective policies and reduce recidivism.

The health, welfare and criminogenic needs of young offenders serving court orders in the community under the supervision of Department of Juvenile Justice. Comparisons with young offenders in custody and same-aged adolescents in the general population are made.

The late 1970s saw the emergence of a heated debate on the treatment of juvenile delinquents. The argument was usually presented as being between the exponents of ‘law and order’ and punishment on the one hand, and the ‘soft’ advocates of social work and treatment on the other. Originally published in 1980, Out of Care: The Community Support of Juvenile Offenders took issue with both sides and argued that it was the juvenile justice system itself which was at fault. Much of the debate about the merits or otherwise of the 1969 Children and Young Persons Act had been conducted in an informational vacuum. For the authors, the most important point is that while this self-interested and politically disingenuous debate had been continuing more and more supposedly delinquent children had been locked up, quite contrary to the intentions of the Act. The book, however, goes further than a mere critique of the existing system at the time. It also offers very direct and practical advice on what can be done – advice aimed at the police and magistrates, and especially at social workers and probation officers, both agency managers and field level practitioners. It describes practical ways of collecting information to modify local policies and suggests innovative and imaginative ways of working face to face with juvenile offenders. The book is unusual in that it combines this practical usefulness with a detailed analysis of certain key themes in contemporary criminological theory. All the authors had backgrounds in social work or probation practice, as well as recent experience of research into intermediate treatment and the workings of the juvenile justice system at the time. They were therefore able to offer a unique combination of perspectives, drawing on social policy, theories of delinquency, justice and the state, field research and social work practice.

Community penalties are punishments that, in the courts' sentencing tariff, come between imprisonment and fines. They include electronic tagging, supervised unpaid work, and compulsory participation by offenders in treatment programmes. Recent years have seen many changes in England in the field of community penalties. These have included the rapid development of accredited offending behaviour programmes, and some new court orders such as the Referral Order for juveniles, based on the principles of restorative justice. Organisationally, too, the year 2001 sees a major change with the establishment of the National Probation Service for England and Wales. Community Penalties: change and challenges addresses the key issues facing community penalties at this critical time. Topics covered include the recent history of community penalties, partnership work, cognitive behavioural approaches to changing offenders' behaviour (and the need to look beyond these), compliance theory, accountability to the public and to the victim, accommodating difference and diversity in the delivery of community penalties, the use of technology in community penalties, and community penalties and issues of public safety. Community Penalties: change and challenges brings together many leading authors in this field. Together, they provide an authoritative review of a vital field of public policy.

This mid-level, practical law text on all aspects of children and young offenders in criminal proceedings, is intended for those involved in all stages of juvenile proceedings. Each chapter includes quotation from, or reference to, statutory provisions, court rules, and other relevant material.