This book offers a comprehensive and critical account of the changes introduced into the UK youth justice system by the 1998 Crime and Disorder legislation, and its implications for youth justice managers and professionals. It identifies strategies for the practitioner that address the impact of crime, the social predicament of the young offender and the effectiveness of formal and informal mechanisms of social control and social support, thereby showing ways of coming to grips with one of the most serious problems besetting the poorest members of our society.

Dated December 2016. Print and web pdfs available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications Web ISBN=9781474134880

This is a book for social workers working within the youth justice system; a highly demanding area of practice that requires a depth of knowledge and skill. All Youth Offending Teams are required to employ a social worker, yet it is often a challenge to find space within youth justice practice to uphold social work values. This practical book demonstrates how practitioners can work in creative, ethical and reflective ways within Youth Offending Teams. Topics include: Legislation Multiagency working Risk assessment Working with high risk offenders Alternative interventions Case studies, vignettes and reflective questions are used throughout to help students and practitioners relate theory directly to practice. "This book is an excellent introduction to the important contribution of social workers in the field of work with young offenders. Social work is a key profession in agencies working with such young people, especially in Youth Offending Teams, yet until now it has been a neglected area in social work literature. This will be a key text for social work students and practitioners who need to have an overview of the functions, methods, skills and approaches to working with young offenders." Brian Littlechild, Professor of Social Work, University of Hertfordshire, UK "This is a timely book containing much useful information on young people, both as offenders and victims. It covers issues of risk, the scaled approach promoted by the Youth Justice Board, interventions and reflective practice. It will be essential reading for criminology and social work students who should learn about youth justice as well as other professionals in education, police etc. I will be recommending it to my students." Professor Anthony Goodman, Department of Criminology and Sociology, Middlesex University, UK "Comprehensive, focused and immediately useful, this book is an articulate and highly readable synthesis of current thinking on social work and a framework to apply this in everyday practice. A refreshing and inspiring view on delinquency and antisocial behaviour. A must have for all the professionals working in the field of juvenile delinquency." Dalibor Dolezal, Assistant Professor, University of Zagreb, Faculty of Education and Rehabilitation , Sciences, Dept. of Criminology "Social Work in the Youth Justice System, by Darrell Fox and Elaine Arnull is a welcome analysis and explanation of the tasks and roles which social workers are required to undertake within the Youth Justice system in the UK. Crime and offending by young people in particular are emotive subjects which the media, politicians and the public often feel compelled to share their views on. This book examines in detail the complexities of working as a social worker with young people who offend and will assist prospective and current social workers to negotiate their way through the demanding youth justice environment. The Authors rightly focus on the need for social workers to be creative, ethical and reflective while practicing within a challenging, changing criminal justice setting. The chapters on Assessment, Risk, Legislation and Interventions provide information and analysis which will enable practitioners to understand their roles and be better placed to deliver effective interventions for young people." David Ellicott, Senior Lecturer, Division of Guidance, Youth Studies and Youth Justice, Nottingham Trent University, UK

Youth Justice in Context examines the influence of legislative, organizational, policy and practice issues in shaping what constitutes compliance and how non-compliance is responded to when supervising young offenders in the community. It also addresses the impact of adolescent developmental immaturity and social and personal circumstances in mediating expectations of compliance. A central concern of the book is to explore the manner in which compliance changes over time through the dynamics that arise in the supervisory relationship between practitioners and young people, and against the backdrop of the social and psychological changes that occur in adolescents’ lives as they move towards early adulthood. A detailed examination is provided based on the perspectives of probation and youth justice professionals operating across different organizational contexts, and of young people subject to community supervision. To this end, the book offers in-depth analysis on the strategies employed by practitioners in promoting compliance and responding to non-compliance. It also provides unique insights into young people’s perceptions of the supervision process, their motivations to comply, and their perspectives on desistance from offending. This book offers an alternative perspective to policies and practices that focus primarily on stringent enforcement and control measures in responding to non-compliance. Youth Justice in Context is suited to academics, researchers, students, policy makers, social workers, probation officers, youth justice workers, social care workers and other practitioners working with young people in the criminal justice system.

Juvenile sex offender therapy has changed markedly since it emerged in the 1980s. Toolkit for Working with Juvenile Sex Offenders provides therapists with a summary of evidence-based practice with this population, including working with comorbid conditions and developmental disabilities. It provides tools for use in assessment, case formulation, and treatment, and includes forms, checklists, and exercises. The intended audience is practitioners engaged in the assessment and treatment of juveniles whose sexual interests and/or behaviors are statistically non-normative and/or problematic. Readers will find a chapter on academic assessment and intervention, a domain frequently not covered by texts in this field. Identifies evidence-based treatment practice specifically for juveniles Provides tools for assessment, case formulation, and treatment Covers treatment in comorbid conditions or developmental disabilities Contains forms, checklists, and client exercises for use in practice

This authoritative, highly readable reference and text is grounded in the latest knowledge on how antisocial and criminal behavior develops in youth and how it can effectively be treated. Contributors describe proven ways to reduce juvenile delinquency by targeting specific risk factors and strengthening young people's personal, family, and community resources. Thorough yet concise, the book reviews exemplary programs and discusses theoretical, empirical, and practical issues in assessment and intervention. It also provides best-practice recommendations for working with special populations: violent offenders; gang members; sexual offenders; youth with mental health, substance abuse, educational, and learning problems; and female offenders.