Youth Justice

What is Youth Justice?

Within Economics & Civics, which covers money, markets, business, government, law and citizenship: how societies are organised and run, this topic explains Youth Justice. Economics and civics topics explain how money, markets, laws and government affect people, so each topic here pairs a clear definition with a model.

Check that you can explain Youth Justice in your own words and give one example from everyday life. If you can do that, you have understood the core idea.

Understanding Youth Justice helps you read the news critically and weigh up policies, choices and arguments about society.

Youth Justice in detail

The youth justice system deals with young people aged 10 to 17 who commit crimes in England and Wales. The age of criminal responsibility is 10. Young people are usually tried in youth courts, which are less formal than adult courts and closed to the public, with magistrates trained to deal with young people.

The focus is on preventing re-offending and rehabilitation, with out-of-court disposals, referral orders, youth rehabilitation orders and, for serious offences, detention in secure settings. Youth offending teams work with young people, families and schools. Debates concern the age of responsibility, and whether the emphasis should be on punishment or support.

How the interactive helps you understand Youth Justice

Click a card to flip it and reveal the answer, then move on to the next one.

Before you change anything, predict the result. Then change one value at a time and check whether your prediction was right. This is a quick way to build a correct mental model of Youth Justice.

Real-life uses and examples

• Use Youth Justice to weigh up the pros and costs of a policy or decision.
• Explain Youth Justice to a classmate using a choice you make yourself, such as spending pocket money.
• Give a balanced answer about Youth Justice by considering more than one point of view.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Confusing a short-term effect with a long-term one.
• Giving an opinion without evidence or a clear economic or civic reason.
• Learning the definition without testing it. Use the quiz and the interactive to check that you can apply the idea.