Young People and Youth Justice

Young people who break the law in Scotland are subject to the youth justice system, which is different to the justice system for adults. The youth justice system in Scotland involves the Children’s Reporter who works with a range of agencies to decide what should be done with young people committing offences. A range of options are open to the Children’s Reporter including referral to the Children’s Hearing System

At SCCJR our research in this area includes work on young people’s perceptions and experiences of crime and the criminal justice system. We also conduct research about young people’s offending behaviour and explanations for this behaviour.

Related People

Dr Susan Batchelor

Susan is a Lecturer in Criminology in the Department of Sociology, Anthropology and Applied Social Sciences at the University of Glasgow, as well as a member of the Scottish Centre for Crime and Justice Research. She recently completed her PhD on young women imprisoned for crimes of violence. Susan teaches on the following courses: Violence in Society (Class co-ordinator) Understanding Crime...

Dr Alasdair J M Forsyth

Alasdair has been an academic researcher since May 1985, in that time gaining experience while working at a variety of centres including the Addiction Research Group and the Centre for Social Marketing (University of Strathclyde), the Behavioural Sciences Group and the Criminology Research Unit (University of Glasgow) and at the Medical Research Council’s Medical Sociology Unit. He is...

Related News

Scottish Community Safety Network

1st November 2012

Scottish Community Safety Network SCCJR works with the Scottish Community Safety Network to ensure that up to date thinking and evidence on crime and justice issues is shared with network members and that the work of our academics is informed by the concerns and experiences of network members.

Young People and Male Violence Against Women

25th May 2010

SCCJR associate Nancy Lombard presented about her research about 11-12 year olds and their attitudes about male violence against women at a seminar held at Stirling University on the 25 May 2010. The slides from her presentation are available here. For details about Nancy’s research interests see http://www.sccjr.ac.uk/associates/Ms-Nancy-Lombard/299...

Youth Offending and Youth Justice Book: Up there with the best works in the field!

18th February 2010

Fergus McNeill and Monica Barry’s recently published book entitled ‘Youth Offending and Youth Justice’ (see http://www.sccjr.ac.uk/pubs/Youth-Offending-and-Youth-Justice/156) has been reviewed in the British Journal of Social Work. The reviewer, Ian Paylor, describes the work as "an excellent, coherent, insightful addition to...

Researching Gangs in Glasgow (Presentation at the British Society of Criminology Conference)

8th October 2009

SCCJR’s Alistair Fraser and Colin Atkinson recently presentated to the British Society of Criminology Conference (September 2009) about their experiences of researching gangs in glasgow. A power point of their presentation is available here - www.sccjr.ac.uk/documents/Researching_Gangs_in_Glasgow_-_BSC_June_2009.ppt...

Youth Offending and Youth Justice Book – Forthcoming Sept 09

11th August 2009

Youth Offending and Youth Justice – Edited by Monica Barry and Fergus McNeill How is the modern world shaping young people and youth crime? What impact is this having on the latest policies and practice? Are current youth justice services working? With contributions from leading researchers in the field, this book offers an insightful, scholarly and critical analysis of such key...

Related Projects

Whole System Approach to Children and Young People who Offend

The project funded by the Scottish Government will involve phase one of the evaluation of the implementation of the national Whole System Approach to Children and Young People who Offend. The programme of work on the Whole System Approach will be extended from September 2012 with the appointment of two full-time +3 PhD Studentships (funded through the ESRC/Scottish Government Co-funded...

Services for Young Runaways: A Scoping Study

This scoping study for the Scottish Coalition for Young Runaways was undertaken to examine responses to young people in Scotland who run away from home or substitute care. The study, originated from concerns about the experiences of young people who run away or are forced to leave where they live and aimed to find out more about the responses currently in place to address the needs of these young...

Reconviction among young people sentenced in the pilot Youth Courts

This project was to assess whether the pilot Youth Courts were more effective in bringing about reductions in recidivism, reconviction among Youth Court cases was compared with reconviction among three other groups of cases: those sentenced in the sheriff summary court and those sentenced in two comparator Sheriff Summary Courts over a similar period of time. The work was requested by the...

Youth Violence in Scotland

In November 2009, SCCJR were commissioned by the Scottish Government to identify and collate available qualitative and quantitative research data and information about youth violence in Scotland. The review draws on available sources of data from administrative sources (recorded crime, criminal proceedings, school exclusions, referrals to the Children’s Hearings System) and from the...

A Rapid Evidence Assessment of the Drivers of Perception of Anti-Social Behaviour

This rapid evidence assessment was requested and funded by the Home Office in 2009. Non-SCCJR colleagues John Flint and Sadie Parr were also members of the project team. The report is available here...

Evaluation of the Grampian Return Home Welfare Interview (RHWI) pilot

This evaluation examines the operation of Grampian Police RHWI pilot in two pilot areas. The RHWI has been introduced to provide a more effective response to young people who are reported missing either from home or who are looked after and accommodated. The evaluation has been commissioned by the Scottish Government and is due for completion in April 2010. This is a joint evaluation with...

Analysis of Supervision Skills by Juvenile Justice Workers

This research, funded by the Australian Criminology Research Council, is examining the nature and effectiveness of different styles of supervision of offenders. The research is being conducted in collaboration with the Department of Juvenile Justice in New South Wales. The study sample will include 50 juvenile justice workers and 200 juvenile justice clients (four clients for each worker). Data...

Consensus / Consenso

SCCJR, in collaboration with Xunta de Galicia, Spain and 4 other international partners, were awarded a grant under the European Commission, DG Freedom, Justice and Security: Framework Partnership ‘Prevention of and Fight Against Crime 2007’ for a project identifying, analysing and disseminating existing good practices in restorative juvenile justice across six...

Youth Gangs and Knife Carrying

In 2008, SCCJR were awarded a research grant of £155,000 by the Scottish Government to undertake ethnographic research exploring the nature of youth gang involvement, and the nature of knife carrying by young people in Scotland, and the roles that such activities may play in young peoples’ everyday lives. The research took place in five locations across Scotland and involved a...

Families of Nations and Criminal Justice Outcomes

There is a long history within Social Policy of identifying groups of countries who share common policy outcomes (typified by the work of Gøsta Esping-Andersen, 1990, and Francis Castles, 1998). This work built on the recent work of Paul Norris (2007) by looking at how the groups of nations identified in other areas of Social Policy may relate to differences in criminal justice...

Juvenile Justice in New South Wales

description forthcoming...

Evaluation of the National Parenting Development Project Project (NPDP, Aberlour Child Care Trust).

This was a four year evaluation of the National Parenting Development Project which examined the strategic and direct impact of the project. This involved an examination of the collaborative work between NPDP and the Programmes Unit at HMP and YOI Cornton Vale where a pilot project has been introduced aimed at assisting women prisoners to address issues of separation...

Drinking and Drug Use in the Community: A Survey of Young Offenders, 2007

This project was conducted in collaboration with Bill McKinlay, the Governor of HMP Barlinnie, and staff at Polmont YOI. Data collection builds upon similar surveys conducted by Bill during 1979 and 1996. The Scottish Prison Service published the report of the project in 2009. To view details and download the final report click here.

Desistance and Reducing Reoffending

Desistance from crime – the process through which people cease and refrain from offending – is a research topic that is of significant import for criminal justice policy and practice. Staff of the SCCJR have already made a number of contributions to debates about how policy and practice could and should respond to the findings of desistance research. For...

Cultural Change in Community Justice

SCCJR was commissioned by the Scottish Government to prepare a brief literature review which explores cultural change in community justice. This is intended to inform the ongoing work of a Performance Improvement Strategy Group which is trying to develop the effectiveness and quality of criminal justice social work in Scotland, as part of the Reducing Reoffending agenda. The basic idea is...

Related Publications

Gangs and Global Exchange: Confronting the Glasgow Gang Complex

Fraser, R. (2011), Gangs and Global Exchange: Confronting the Glasgow Gang Complex, SCCJR Conference Report No.02/2011

The use of off-trade glass as a weapon in violent assaults by Young Offenders

Forsyth, A. J. M., Khan, F. & McKinlay, W. (2010), The use of off-trade glass as a weapon in violent assaults by Young Offenders, Crime Prevention and Community Safety, 2010, 12 (4).

Experience of discrimination, social marginalisation and violence: A comparative study of Muslim and non-Muslim youth in three EU Member States

McVie, S & Wiltshire, S 2010, 'Experience of Discrimination, Social Marginalisation and Violence: A Comparative Study of Muslim and Non-Muslim Youth in Three EU Member States'. in: Scottish Centre for Crime & Justice Research. European Agency for Fundamental Rights.

Youth gang identification: learning and social development in restricted geographies

Bannister, J., and Fraser, A. (2008) Youth gang identification: learning and social development in restricted geographies.Scottish Journal of Criminal Justice Studies, 14 . pp. 96-114. ISSN 1360-4449.

Evaluation of the Grampian Police Return Home Welfare Interview Pilot for Young Runaways

Burgess, C., Malloch, M., Mitchell, F., Chan, V. and Eunson, J. (2010) Grampian Pilot Return Home Welfare Interview Pilot for Young Runaways: Pilot Evaluation, Edinburgh: Scottish Government.

Gang Membership and Knife Carrying: Findings from The Edinburgh Study of Youth Transitions and Crime

McVie., S., (2010), Gang Membership and Knife Carrying: Findings from the Edinburgh Study of Youth Transitions and Crime. Scottish Government.

Troublesome Youth Groups, Gangs and Knife Carrying in Scotland

Bannister, J., Pickering, J,, Batchelor, S., Burman, M., Kintrea, K., and McVie, S. (2010) Troublesome Youth Groups, Gangs and Knife Carrying in Scotland. Project Report. Scottish Government.

Youth Justice? The Impact of System Contact on Patterns of Desistance from Offending

McAra, L. and McVie, S. (2010) 'Youth Justice? The Impact of System Contact on Patterns of Desistance from Offending'. In M. Little and B. Maughan (eds) Effective Interventions for Children in Need. Farnham: Ashgate Publishing; ch. 2.

Youth Crime and Justice: Key messages from the Edinburgh Study of Youth Transitions and Crime

McAra, L., and McVie, S. (2010), 'Youth Crime and Justice: Key Messages from the Edinburgh Study of Youth Transitions and Crime', Criminology and Criminal Justice 10: 211-230.

Primary Support Project; An Evaluation

MacQueen, S. and Whyte, B. (2009), Primary Support Project: an Evaluation,Criminal Justice Social Work Development Centre for Scotland TEP Paper 9.

Respect and City Living: Urban Contest or Cosmopolitanism?

Millie, A. (2009) 'Respect and City Living: Contest or Cosmopolitanism?'. In: A. Millie (ed) Securing Respect: Behavioural Expectations and Anti-Social Behaviour in the UK. Bristol: The Policy Press; 193 - 218.

Tackling Anti-social Behaviour and Regenerating Neighbourhoods

Millie, A., (2007) 'Tackling Anti-social Behaviour and Regenerating Neighbourhoods'. In: Atkinson, R. and Helms, G. (eds) Securing an Urban Renaissance: Crime, Community, and British Urban Policy. Bristol: Policy Press; 107 - 124.

Conceptualising tolerance: paradoxes of tolerance and intolerance in contemporary Britain

Kearns, A, and Bannister, J (2009) Conceptualising tolerance: Paradoxes of tolerance and intolerance in contemporary Britain. Italian Journal of Sociology of Education, 2 . pp. 126-147.

Between Two Stools? Responding to Young Women who Offend

Burman, M., and Batchelor, S.A. (2009) Between two stools? Responding to young women who offend.Youth Justice, 9 (3). pp. 270-285. ISSN 1473-2254 (doi:10.1177/1473225409345104).

Youth Justice

Burman, M.J., and Johnstone, J. (2010) Youth Justice. Series: Practice and policy in health and social care (9). Dunedin Academic Press: Edinburgh.

Securing Respect: Behavioural Expectations and Anti-Social Behaviour in the UK

Millie, A. (ed) (2009) Securing Respect: Behavioural Expectations and Anti-Social Behaviour in the UK. Bristol: The Policy Press.

Looking for anti-social behaviour

Millie, A., (2007), 'Looking for anti-social behaviour.Policy and Politics', 35 (4). pp. 611-627. ISSN 0305-5736 (doi:10.1332/030557307782453056)

Anti-social Behaviour: Concerns of Minority and Marginalised Londoners

Millie, A., (2006), ‘Anti-social behaviour: Concerns of minority and marginalised Londoners’, Internet Journal of Criminology.

Anti-Social Behaviour

Millie, A. (2009) Anti-Social Behaviour. Maidenhead: Open University Press.

Enquetes de Criminalite et de Delinquance Autoreportees en Grande-Bretagne et en Irlande

McVie, S., (2009) 'Enquetes de Criminalite et de Delinquance Autoreportees en Grande-Bretagne et en Irlande'. In: R. Zaubermann (ed) Les Enquetes de delinquance et de deviance autoreportees en Europe: Etat des Savoirs et Bilan des Usages. Parin: L'Harmattan; 149 - 180.

Critical Issues in Researching Hidden Communities

Ashe, S., Fraser, A. and Piacentini, T. (2009) ‘Introduction: Critical Issues in Researching ‘Hidden Communities’’. In: eSharp - Special Issue: Critical Issues in Researching Hidden Communities. Glasgow: University of Glasgow; 1 - 9.

Youth Offending and Youth Justice

Barry, M. and McNeill, F. (2009) Briefing 2009 02 Youth Offending and Youth Justice. SCCJR

Youth Offending and Youth Justice

Barry, M. and McNeill, F. (eds) (2009) Youth Offending and Youth Justice. Series: Research highlights. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers.

Evaluation of the National Parenting Development Project

Burgess, C. and Malloch, M. (2008), 'Evaluation of the National Parenting Development Project', SCCJR Researh Report, No; 02/2008

Running Other Choices. An Evaluation of the ROC Refuge

Malloch, M. (2006) Running – Other Choices. An Evaluation of the ROC Refuge, Stirling: Aberlour Trust.

Developments in Social Work with Offenders

McIvor, G. and Raynor, P. (2007) Developments in Social Work with Offenders (Series: Research Highlights in Social Work 48). London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers.

Secure Accommodation in Scotland : Its Role and Relationship with ‘Alternative’ Services

Walker, M., Barclay, A., Hunter, L., Kendrick, A., Malloch, M., Hill, M. and McIvor, G. (2006), Secure Accommodation in Scotland : Its Role and Relationship with 'Alternative' Services. Scottish Executive.

Evaluation of the Airdrie and Hamilton Youth Court Pilots

McIvor, G, Barnsdale, L, Brown, A, Dunlop, S, Eley, S, Macrae, R, Malloch, M, Murray, C, Murray, L, Piacentini, L, Popham, F & Walters, R 2006 'Evaluation of the Airdrie and Hamilton youth court pilots.' Scottish Executive Social Research, Edinburgh.

Evaluation of the 218 Centre

Loucks, N., Malloch, M., McIvor, G. and Gelsthorpe, L. (2006), Evaluation of the 218 Centre, Scottish Executive.

Evaluation of the Airdrie Sheriff Youth Court Pilot

McIvor, G, Barnsdale, L, Brown, A, Eley, S, Macrae, R, Malloch, M, Murray, C, Murray, L, Piacentini, L, Popham, F and Walters, R (2006) 'Evaluation of the Airdrie sheriff youth court pilot.' Scottish Executive Social Research, Edinburgh.

Crime and Social Change in Middle England: Questions of Order in an English Town

Girling, E., Loader, I. and Sparks, R. (1999) Crime and Social Change in Middle England: Questions of Order in an English Town. London: Routledge.

How to Reduce Youth Crime and Anti-Social Behaviour by Going Round in Circles

Mackenzie, S. (2008) How to Reduce Youth Crime and Anti-social Behaviour by Going Round in Circles. Discussion Paper. Institute for Public Policy Research.

Research and Practice in Risk Assessment and Risk Management of Children and Young People Engaging in Offending Behaviour

Burman, M.J., Armstrong, S., Batchelor, S., McNeill, F., and Nicholson, J. (2007), Research and Practice in Risk Assessment and Risk Management of Children and Young People Engaging in Offending Behaviour. RMA Scotland.

The outcomes of secure care in Scotland

Kendrick, A., Walker, M., Barclay, A., Hunter, L., Malloch, M., Hill, M. and McIvor, G. (2008) Scottish Journal of Residential Child Care, 7(1), 1-13.

More haste, less speed? An Evaluation of Fast Track policies to tackle persistent offending Scotland

Hil, M., Walker, M., Moodie, K., Wallace, B., Khan, F., McIvor, G. and Kendrick, A., (2007), More haste, less speed? An evaluation of fast track policies to tackle persistent youth offending in Scotland. Youth Justice Vol 7, No. 2, pp. 121-138.

A Scoping Study of Services for Young Runaways for 1 in 9: Scottish Coalition for Young Runaways

Malloch, M. and Burgess, C. (2007) A Scoping Study of Services for Young Runaways, for the 1 in 9: Scottish Coalition for Young Runaways, Stirling: Aberlour Child Care Trust and Scottish Coalition.

Young People’s Street Drinking Behaviour:Investigating the Influence of Marketing & Subculture

Galloway, J., Forsyth, A. J. M. & Shewan, D. (2007) On-line report - Young People’s Street Drinking Behaviour: Investigating the Influence of Marketing & Subculture. London: Alcohol Education Research Council.

Desistance

Weaver, B. and McNeill, F. (2007) 'Desistance'. In: B. Godson (ed) Dictionary of Youth Justice. Cullompton, Devon: Willan Publishing; 132 - 134.

Community Supervision: Context and Relationships Matter

McNeill, F. (2006) 'Community Supervision: Context and Relationships Matter. In: B. Goldson and J. Muncie (eds) Youth Crime and Justice: Critical Issues. London: Sage; 125 - 138.

The End of an Era? Youth Justice in Scotland

Burman, M., Bradshaw, P., Hutton, N., McNeill, F., and Munro, M. (2006) The End of an Era? Youth Justice in Scotland. In: J. Junger-Tas and H.D. Scott (eds) International Handbook of Juvenile Justice. Dordrecht: Springer; 435 - 467.

Criminal Justice Transitions: Edinburgh Study of Youth Transitions and Crime, Research Digest No. 14.

McAra, L., and McVie, S., (2007), 'Criminal Justice Transitions', University of Edinburgh.

Sample Safeguarding Exercise: The Edinburgh Study of Youth Transitions and Crime Technical Report No. 4.

McVie, S., McAra, L., and Palmer, J., (2007), 'Sample Safeguarding Exercise', University of Edinburgh.

No Way Out?

McAra, L., and McVie, S., (2007), 'No Way Out?'. Children in Scotland 73: 8-9

Youth justice? The impact of system contact on patterns of desistance from offending

McAra, L., and McVie, S., (2007), 'Youth Justice? The Impact of System Contact on Patterns of Desistance from Offending'. European Journal of Criminology 4 (3) 315-345.

(In)civility and the city

Fyfe, N, Bannister, J, and Kearns, A (2006) Incivility and the City.Urban Studies, 43 (5/6). pp. 919-938.