Youth Justice Law and Practice is a comprehensive and practical guide to representing children in the criminal justice system.
It provides a step by step guide to representing children at the police station, detailed coverage of specific court procedures and looks at wider issues such as child and adolescent brain development, mental health and learning difficulties and looked after children.
It is crucial that advocates representing children and young people understand the specialised and separate procedures of dealing with this vulnerable group.
Youth Justice Law and Practice is highly accessible and easy to navigate to enable the busy practitioner to quickly find the information they need. Covering the procedure of the youth court, magistrates' court, Crown Court and Court of Appeal, it focuses procedural differences including bail and remand, jury directions, sentencing, anonymity and reporting restrictions.
The authors from Youth Justice Legal Centre, a centre for excellence on youth justice law, and Just for Kids Law, who provide legal representation and campaign to promote respect for the legal rights of children, bring their unique experience as youth advocates to explain how to communication and engage effectively with children, the correct approach for dealing with children with learning difficulties, the importance of background and how to deal with children as victims and witnesses in courts.
Contents include:
*arrest criteria
*duties owed to children at the police station
*charging decisions and out of court disposals
*bail and remand
*age assessments
*the sentencing framework relating to children
*procedures and modifications to trial relating to children
*anonymity and reporting restrictions
*welfare considerations and duties
*communication skills
*background and adolescent brain development
*criminal records
*Duties owed by other agencies
The appendices include extracts from legislation, the Criminal Procedure Rules, Sentencing guidelines and specific guidelines for offences making this a one-stop-shop for the busy criminal practitioner.
Youth Justice Law and Practice is essential reading for lawyers and professionals working in the youth justice system, appearing in the youth court and representing children in the adult criminal courts.