In 1996 the Audit Commission report was highly critical of the youth justice Misspent Youth system in England and Wales. It concluded that: current system for dealing with youth crime is inefficient and expensive while ‘The little is being done to deal effectively with juvenile nuisance.’ (Audit Commission, 1996: 96) The New Labour government responded to the Audit Commission’s verdict on the youth justice system in the Consultation Paper No More Excuses A New Approach to Tackling – in which it suggested that up until 1997 youth offending Youth Crime in England and Wales had been greeted with excuses instead of action (Home Office, 1997a: 1). No More Excuses proposed a and branch’ overhaul of the youth justice system and a breaking with the ‘root philosophy of the 1969 Act (Home Office, 1997a: 9.2). Consequently section 37 of the Crime and Disorder Act establishes preventing offending by children and young people as the principal aim of the youth justice system and places all those working in the youth justice system under a duty to have regard to that aim in carrying out their duties. Welfare concerns are also ominously absent from the Youth Justice Board’s Objectives for 2008-11’, ‘Strategic these objectives are to: prevent offending and reoffending by children and young people under 18 years; to increase victim and public confidence; and to ensure safe and effective use of custody. (Youth Justice Board, 2008). Prior to taking office as Prime Minister, Tony Blair expressed his view that was at the ‘duty’ heart of creating a strong society, of duty allows us to be much tougher and “bonds in the rules we apply and how we apply them” (Blair, 1995). This notion of and ‘duty’ responsibility underpins New Labour’s approach to crime and disorder. New Labour emphasised the need for citizens to share risks and responsibilities with the state, reflecting a
In 1996 the Audit Commission report Misspent Youth was highly critical of the youth justice system in England and Wales. It concluded that: ‘The current system for dealing with youth crime is inefficient and expensive while little is being done to deal effectively with juvenile nuisance.’ (Audit Commission, 1996: 96) The New Labour government responded to the Audit Commission’s verdict on the youth justice system in the Consultation Paper No More Excuses – A New Approach to Tackling Youth Crime in England and Wales in which it suggested that up until 1997 youth offending had been greeted with excuses instead of action (Home Office, 1997a: 1). No More Excuses proposed a ‘root and branch’ overhaul of the youth justice system and a breaking with the philosophy of the 1969 Act (Home Office, 1997a: 9.2). Consequently section 37 of the Crime and Disorder Act establishes preventing offending by children and young people as the principal aim of the youth justice system and places all those working in the youth justice system under a duty to have regard to that aim in carrying out their duties. Welfare concerns are also ominously absent from the Youth Justice Board’s ‘Strategic Objectives for 2008-11’, these objectives are to: prevent offending and reoffending by children and young people under 18 years; to increase victim and public confidence; and to ensure safe and effective use of custody. (Youth Justice Board, 2008). Prior to taking office as Prime Minister, Tony Blair expressed his view that ‘duty’ was at the heart of creating a strong society, “bonds of duty allows us to be much tougher and in the rules we apply and how we apply them” (Blair, 1995). This notion of ‘duty’ and responsibility underpins New Labour’s approach to crime and disorder. New Labour emphasised the need for citizens to share risks and responsibilities with the state, reflecting a
Neo-liberalism%20and%20the%20youth%20justice%20system.docx