NCJ Number
45228
Date Published
1977
Length
61 pages
Annotation
EIGHT PAPERS GIVEN AT A SEMINAR ON 'THE POLICE ROLE IN JUVENILE DELINQUENCY,' HELD BY THE AUSTRALIAN INSTITUTE OF CRIMINOLOGY ARE PRESENTED WITH BIBLIOGRAPHIES.
Abstract
THE RESEARCH PAPERS TOOK 'A NEW LOOK AT POLICE-JUVENILE RELATIONS' IN AUSTRALIA, EXAMINED CHANGES IN FAMILY LIFE, AND SUMMARIZED CURRENT TRENDS IN BOTH JUVENILE DELINQUENCY AND DELINQUENCY RESEARCH. SPECIFIC STUDIES FOCUSED ON POLICE INTERVENTION IN JUVENILE DELINQUENCY IN QUEENSLAND, THE EFFECTIVENESS OF COURT IMPOSED MEASURES, JUVENILE DELINQUENCY IN THE AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY, AND JUVENILE AID PANELS IN SOUTH AUSTRALIA. IN AUSTRALIA JUVENILE CRIME IS CORRELATED WITH AFFLUENCE, MOBILITY OF POPULATION, LACK OF WORK SATISFACTION, AND FAMILY INSTABILITY. IT IS EXPECTED TO DECREASE BECAUSE THE RECENT DECLINES IN THE BIRTH RATE, WHICH HAVE BEEN DRAMATIC, WILL BE FELT BY 1980. THERE IS ALSO A TREND TOWARD MOVEMENT AWAY FROM THE CITIES INTO LESS POPULATED AREAS, WHICH, HOPEFULLY, WILL HAVE A BENEFICIAL EFFECT ON FAMILY LIFE. SEVERAL OF THE PAPERS POINTED OUT THE IMPORTANCE OF IDENTIFYING THE YOUNG PERSON GETTING INTO TROUBLE AND PROVIDING POSITIVE INTERVENTION BEFORE ACTUAL CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR IS ESTABLISHED. IN THE PAPER 'HOW EFFECTIVE ARE COURT IMPOSED MEASURES?' AN EXAMINATION OF COURT STATISTICS FOR A 12-YEAR PERIOD FOUND THAT ACTIVITIES OF THE COURT AND METHODS OF DEALING WITH JUVENILES HAD NO IMPACT ON JUVENILE CRIME. INCONSISTENCY IN SENTENCING PATTERNS INDICATED THAT THE JURISDICTION DID NOT HAVE ANY REAL KNOWLEDGE OF THE EFFECTS OF JUDGMENTS OR DETERMINATIONS. A COMPARISON OF PROBATION WITH COURT CAUTIONS AND RELEASE SHOWED THAT PROBATION DID NOT SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCE RECIDIVISM: IN FACT, THOSE WHO WERE MERELY CAUTIONED HAD LOWER RECIDIVISM RATES, THOUGH THESE WERE PROBABLY YOUNG PEOPLE WHO MIGHT HAVE HAD LOWER RATES IN ANY CASE. DIVERSION OF MENTALLY DISTURBED JUVENILES TO COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS HAD POSITIVE EFFECTS, BOTH IN TERMS OF IMPROVED BEHAVIOR AND IN COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT. GREATER USE OF POLICE CAUTIONS RATHER THAN THE COURTS FOR MINOR OFFENSES IS RECOMMENDED. A NEW TREND IS THE FORMATION OF JUVENILE AID PANELS FOR NONJUDICIAL TREATMENT OF OFFENDERS UNDER AGE 16. PANELS ARE CONSTITUTED OF ONE MEMBER NOMINATED BY THE DIRECTOR-GENERAL OF COMMUNITY WELFARE AND EITHER A POLICE OFFICER OR A JUSTICE OF THE PEACE. THE PANEL ALWAYS HAS A POLICE OFFICER AND A WELFARE OFFICER AS WELL AS OTHER MEMBERS DEEMED ADVISABLE. THE PANELS HAVE BEEN IN OPERATION SINCE 1972 AND SEEM TO BE AN EFFECTIVE WAY TO DEAL WITH PREDELINQUENT BEHAVIOR; 80 PERCENT OF THE CHILDREN DO NOT REOFFEND, THE SAME SUCCESS RATES THAT THE COURTS HAVE WITH FIRST OFFENDERS. CHANGES IN THE LAW NEED TO BE MADE TO GIVE THE PANELS AUTHORITY TO ORDER RESTITUTION BE MADE OR COMPENSATION PAID. PERSONNEL SHOULD BE EXPANDED TO PROVIDE FOR FOLLOWUP. (GLR)