Youth diversion for first time offenders : a view from primary caregivers and family members.
Loading...
Date
2012
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
In recent years, youth offending has become the subject of widespread public interest and
over the past few decades, various child reform movements have taken place. Child justice
reform efforts focus on children’s reintegration into their families and communities and the
enhancement of prospects for a crime-free life in the future. It is a system that focuses on
holding children responsible through restorative justice approaches. The Child Justice Act
(75 of 2008) seeks to achieve this balance by reflecting societal concerns and responding
reflectively and proportionately to children in the criminal justice system. The Act is based
on restorative justice principles and provides the framework for a criminal justice system
specifically geared to deal with youth offenders. Section 2 of the Act makes specific
provisions for the diversion of children away from the criminal justice system to suitable
reintegrative and rehabilitative diversion programmes. Currently diversion programmes are
aimed at the youth, with minimal input required from parents and family members. While
much has been written and researched about how dysfunctional families can contribute to
children turning to crime, the role of parents and families more generally in preventing repeat
offending and misbehaviour is under-researched. There is also a dearth of research on the
implementation and outcomes of diversion programmes and more specifically on the role of
the family before, during, and after the diversion process. An intriguing issue is how parents
of children attending a diversion programme view their child’s offending behaviour, the
diversion process itself, their involvement in the process, and ways that can be introduced to
improve and/or increase their level of involvement. The study found that the majority of the
children benefitted from the programme in terms of positive behaviour change and preventing
reoffending. Parents who had supported their children during the course of the programme
tended to have better relationships with their children, and were able to sustain the outcomes
of the programmes more efficiently. This study concludes by making recommendations in
respect of how restorative justice values and principles can be adequately incorporated and
enhanced through the participation of all children in conflict with the law in Family Group
Conferencing.
Description
Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2012.
Keywords
Juvenile justice, Administration of--South Africa., Juvenile delinquents--Rehabilitation., Theses--Community development.