Unit information: Youth Justice in 2011/12

Unit name	Youth Justice
Unit code	SPOL32006
Credit points	20
Level of study	H/6
Teaching block(s)	Teaching Block 2 (weeks 13 - 24)
Unit director
Open unit status	Not open
Pre-requisites	None
Co-requisites	None
School/department	School for Policy Studies
Faculty	Faculty of Social Sciences and Law

Description including Unit Aims

The unit considers the needs and rights of children and young people involved in offending behaviour and the youth justice system. The unit includes discussions of theories of delinquency; the history of youth justice system/process; the politicization of youth crime and the demonisation of young people; children and young people as perpetrators of crime and anti-social behaviour; diversity and difference; current practice within the youth justice system, including restorative justice; international perspectives on youth crime; and specific current issues such as children and young people who kill and/or children and young people's involvement in gangs. Children and young people's rights and views are considered within each lecture, as appropriate.

The objectives of the unit are to develop students’ awareness and knowledge of:

• how children and young people are perceived and treated by the youth justice system in England and Wales

• the needs and rights of children and young people as participants criminal hearings, as witnesses, victims and defendants;

• international differences in the ways in which children are perceived and treated by criminal legislation.

Intended Learning Outcomes

Students who successfully complete this unit will have:

• Gained a sound grasp of the needs and rights of children and young people;

• Gained an understanding of how these important considerations apply when children and young people’s circumstances and experiences cause them to be subject to processes of law or legislation;

• Become better prepared to consider whether future professional training in these areas of the law is a possible career option for them.

Teaching Information

The unit will be taught via lectures, seminars and guided individual study. The seminars will include presentations by students, group discussion and various exercises designed to enhance the teaching and learning of the topics covered.

Assessment Information

Formative assessment by:

an essay maximum 2 000 words.

Summative assessment:

by 3 hour unseen exam

Reading and References

• Brown, S. (2005) Understanding Youth and Crime, (2nd edition), Buckingham: Open University Press

• Friday C and Ren X (eds) (2006) Delinquency and Juvenile Justice Systems in the Non-Western World, New York: Criminal Justice Press

• Goldson B (2000) (ed) The New Youth Justice, Lyme Regis: Russell House Publishing

• Hill, M., Lockyer, A. and Stone, F. (2007) Youth Justice and Child Protection, London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers

• Muncie J (2004) Youth and Crime (2nd edition), London: Sage