From Labour's promise to be "tough on crime, tough on the causes of crime" through to the White Paper and new criminal justice legislation, controlling crime and reforming the criminal justice system has been one of the government's key priorities. Among the many radical changes proposed are two central concerns - developing a more flexible sentencing regime which fits the punishment to the criminal rather than the crime, with a far greater emphasis on community based punishment rather than short jail sentences for non violent offenders; and to restore public confidence in a legal process which many feel rewards the guilty by playing into the hands of skilful defence lawyers, by introducing such measures as the abolition of the "double jeopardy rule" and reducing the number of jury trials. This book brings together a team of academics and senior criminal justice practitioners to examine some of the broader issues underlying these proposed reforms as well as the past record of the Labour government, focussing on ways of dealing with particular kinds of crime and offenders as well as the broader social and legal context influencing the nature of reform.
The origins and development of youth justice; Restorative justice ideals and practices; Implementing restorative justice initiatives; Referral orders and Youth Offender Panels; Organising the delivery of Referral Orders; Referral Orders and the courts; Youth Offender Panels; Contracts and their implementation; Community Panel members; Young people and their families; Victims and Referral Orders; Implementing the new youth justice.