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Youth Court Research

» 13/02/2012, Posted by Site Admin

The Youth Court Research project was an exploratory research project aimed at providing insights into the experiences and views of young people going through the court, their families/whanau, and the experiences of Youth Court professionals. The research was conducted in the Waitakere, New Plymouth, Christchurch and Porirua Youth Courts and focussed on three key areas: appearing before the Youth Court, during Youth Court and the impact of Youth Court.

The research allowed young people and their families to share their experiences, which added valuable firsthand insights into the variety of court users' perceptions and experiences.

Key findings from the report include:

* Most young people and their families did not know what to expect before their first time at court which led to many feeling anxious and scared

* Some families were concerned about the lack of information they got before the young personâ??s first time at court and about having to spend time in the waiting room with others

* Not all young people were able to understand the legal terms and discussions between people in court

* Many young people said their lives had been affected because they had to follow bail or curfew conditions. Some reported more long-term effects, such as thinking about how their behaviour affected others, or gaining a job

* Court professionals suggested that good family support was really important to get good outcomes for the young person.

The report 'Youth Court Research: Experiences and views of young people, their families and professionals Report' is attached, or visit http://www.justice.govt.nz/publications/global-publications/y/Publication