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Societies
Special Issues
Youth Justice: Social Policy, Social Work and Practice
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Youth Justice: Social Policy, Social Work and Practice

A special issue of Societies (ISSN 2075-4698).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 April 2025 | Viewed by 15475

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Stephen Case

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Social Sciences and Humanities, Loughborough University, Loughborough LE11 3TU, UK
Interests: youth justice
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Kathy Hampson

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Law & Criminology, Aberystwyth University, Aberystwyth SY23 3FL, UK
Interests: youth justice
Dr. Sean Creaney

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Law, Criminology and Policing, Edge Hill University, Lancashire L39 4QP, UK
Interests: youth justice

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Reimagining justice for children across youth justice systems internationally.

Focus: Youth justice research and scholarship, particularly the generation of evidence to inform systemic and informal ‘Child First’ and child-friendly practice responses to offending by children.

Scope: Scholarship and applied research conducted internationally (Western and Non-Western world) over the previous decade outside of (before, beyond) and within youth/juvenile justice systems, which have produced evidence-based recommendations for policy and practice focused on child justice.

Purpose: A thorough and multi-faceted examination of the scope, diversity, validity, and utility of research conducted to inform empirical understandings of and policy/practice responses to children’s offending globally and the quality of the methodologies employed and evidence produced by this body of research.

Content will cover (but is not limited to) reimagining and reforming child justice, child policing, child legal processes, child social care, child asylum and immigration, etc. Each article examines the scope for an evidence-based, innovative re-imagination and reform of ‘justice’ for children, prioritising criminal/youth justice, weaving in detail considerations of social, restorative, and distributive justice throughout. Each article will include a 'state of the nation' assessment (always international in scope), as well as detailed critical exploration of theoretical, policy, and practice opportunities for justice reform.  This aims to promote innovative, holistic, and comprehensive foci, which coalesce around reforming conceptions, understandings, and processes of justice for children, thus emphasising (for the first time) constructions of Child Justice as opposed to youth or juvenile justice. The innovative elements of this Special Issue include, but are not limited to:

  • Examination of understandings and responses to children with a range of vulnerabilities, adverse childhood experiences, and unmet support needs and is situated in multiple contexts (e.g., support systems, sanctioning organisations).
  • Engagement with multiple ‘justice’ constructs and discourses: youth and juvenile, criminal (18-25 year olds), restorative, distributive, social.
  • Cohering a range of international justice perspectives and lessons for child justice, underpinned and evidenced by research, policy, practice, and lived experience.

This special edition requires articles of 8000 to 10,000 words in length inclusive of references and bibliography.

Contributions have to follow one of the three categories of papers (article, conceptual paper or review) of the journal and address the topic of the Special Issue.

Prof. Dr. Stephen Case
Dr. Kathy Hampson
Dr. Sean Creaney
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as conceptual papers are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a double-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Societies is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • youth justice
  • children
  • justice
  • child first
  • social justice
  • intervention
  • reform
  • reimagining
  • social work
  • policy

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue polices can be found here.

Published Papers (6 papers)

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24 pages, 2568 KiB  
Article
Re-Designing Secure Children’s Homes Through a Child-First Lens
by Caroline Andow, Stefan Kleipoedszus, Rachel Dunn, Nicola Wake, Raymond Arthur, Adeela Shafi and David Gibson
Societies 2024, 14(11), 217; https://doi.org/10.3390/soc14110217 - 25 Oct 2024
Viewed by 897
Abstract
This article explores existing learning gaps concerning optimal ways to support children within and beyond secure care in England and Wales, with a specific focus on Secure Children’s Homes (SCHs). Insights from key stakeholders working in SCHs are often omitted from research despite [...] Read more.
This article explores existing learning gaps concerning optimal ways to support children within and beyond secure care in England and Wales, with a specific focus on Secure Children’s Homes (SCHs). Insights from key stakeholders working in SCHs are often omitted from research despite being fundamental to understanding both challenges and best-practice initiatives. The Children’s Residential Care Research Network, which is a collaboration between the authors, aims to develop novel research with stakeholders working across the secure children’s estate and expand the extant literature to inform the design and build of future Secure Children’s Homes (SCH) through a Child-First lens. The research presented here involves a mixed-methods approach gathering rich qualitative data from participants across the sector. Fifty-three participants engaged in participatory methodologies, focus groups, and interviews, which led to a large data set. Thematic analysis identified three key themes to inform the design and build of new SCHs. SCHs should (i) be close to home to enable family involvement and continuity of care, (ii) feel like a home, and (iii) be flexible and adaptive to changing needs. These findings are feeding into the design of two new homes in England as well as the refurbishment of existing provision and can also influence future expansion of the secure estate. The research also contributes to knowledge about how the Child-First tenets can be engaged to improve outcomes for children deprived of their liberty, both in and outside the youth justice system. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Youth Justice: Social Policy, Social Work and Practice)
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20 pages, 292 KiB  
Article
Exploring Children’s Journeys into the Youth Justice System from Multiple Perspectives: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis
by Hannah Smith and Elizabeth Paddock
Societies 2024, 14(10), 199; https://doi.org/10.3390/soc14100199 - 8 Oct 2024
Viewed by 1208
Abstract
In order to contribute to research into youth crime prevention, the current study aimed to explore the experiences of children in conflict with the law prior to receiving their first caution or conviction. Participants were recruited at a Youth Justice Service and included [...] Read more.
In order to contribute to research into youth crime prevention, the current study aimed to explore the experiences of children in conflict with the law prior to receiving their first caution or conviction. Participants were recruited at a Youth Justice Service and included five children working with the service, their five case managers, and two of their parents/guardians. Data was collected using semi-structured interviews and timelines were used to support the children in sharing their experiences. Data was analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis, which focuses on understanding how individuals experience the world and how they make sense of those experiences. Six group experiential themes were identified within the analysis. These consider the events leading up to offending and whether it could have been predicted, the extent to which the children felt supported, the effect of school practices, the impact of peer influences, difficulties with managing emotions, and the children’s readiness for change. Each theme is discussed and recommendations for practice and future research are considered. The importance of placing children’s experiences at the forefront of research is highlighted throughout. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Youth Justice: Social Policy, Social Work and Practice)
15 pages, 228 KiB  
Article
The Role of Higher Education in Youth Justice: A ‘Child-First’ Approach to Diversion
by Andrew Brierley, Alison Bruell and Danielle McDermott
Societies 2024, 14(7), 129; https://doi.org/10.3390/soc14070129 - 19 Jul 2024
Viewed by 4902
Abstract
This article examines the perspectives of justice-involved children regarding the obstacles to accessing higher education (HE). It outlines the regulatory approach of the Office for Students (OfS) aimed at ensuring the sector aids disadvantaged children in ‘raising attainment’ through outreach activities to enhance [...] Read more.
This article examines the perspectives of justice-involved children regarding the obstacles to accessing higher education (HE). It outlines the regulatory approach of the Office for Students (OfS) aimed at ensuring the sector aids disadvantaged children in ‘raising attainment’ through outreach activities to enhance the equality of opportunity. The analysis incorporates both desistance theory and ecological systems theory to understand children’s viewpoints on how being outside mainstream education affects their transition from specialised programs to further learning beyond secondary school. This approach is anchored in the ‘Child-First’ principle, a core aspect of the Youth Justice Board’s strategic plan for 2021–2024, emphasising the importance of children’s voices in efforts to divert them from the youth justice system, thereby reducing victimisation and fostering safer communities. The findings indicate that justice-involved children not in mainstream education who have supportive micro- and mesosystems are more likely to develop an identity aligned with continuing education post secondary school, through positive encouragement and relational environments that promote educational pathways. Thus, higher education can contribute to raising attainment for justice-involved children not in mainstream education by focusing on the broader ecological system surrounding the child, which can encourage a pro-social and pro-educational identity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Youth Justice: Social Policy, Social Work and Practice)
20 pages, 252 KiB  
Article
Mapping Driving Factors of UK Serious Youth Violence across Policy and the Community: A Multi-Level Discoursal Analysis
by Luke William John Watkins and Alinka Gearon
Societies 2024, 14(7), 125; https://doi.org/10.3390/soc14070125 - 18 Jul 2024
Viewed by 1321
Abstract
The discussion of factors driving young people’s involvement in serious violence continues to be well documented across policy, news media, and academic research. The government response to riots taking place across the UK in 2011 set a precedent for an increasingly punitive discourse [...] Read more.
The discussion of factors driving young people’s involvement in serious violence continues to be well documented across policy, news media, and academic research. The government response to riots taking place across the UK in 2011 set a precedent for an increasingly punitive discourse surrounding young people’s involvement in criminal lifestyles, as well as the Criminal Justice System’s response to the overall issue. In order to develop a greater understanding of the complex breadth of driving factors behind serious youth violence and their discoursal representation, this article presents findings of a multifaceted investigation through the interpretivist paradigm, merging macro-level policy with micro-level community insights. The article commences with an argumentative discourse analysis of a selection of Government and Youth Violence Commission policy documents before drawing on three semi-structured interviews with community-level practitioners in England working within policing and youth work organisations. The findings reveal a complex interplay of socio-environmental factors, poverty, domestic trauma, cultural dimensions, and street-based exploitation positioned alongside constructs of social exclusion and masculinity. The study uncovers a broad issue of systemic marginalisation and reduction in community resources, exacerbating conditions of social exclusion that create a greater propensity for involvement in serious youth violence. The findings support calls for the framing of serious youth violence as an issue of ‘public health’, encouraging deeper investigation into underlying socio-economic, cultural, and political conditions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Youth Justice: Social Policy, Social Work and Practice)
23 pages, 4300 KiB  
Article
Evaluation of the Arthur Project: Evidence-Based Mentoring in a Social Work Framework with a Social Justice Approach
by Karen Miner-Romanoff and Jessica Greenawalt
Societies 2024, 14(7), 123; https://doi.org/10.3390/soc14070123 - 17 Jul 2024
Viewed by 1291
Abstract
Low-income students from underrepresented communities experience significant educational inequalities, including chronic absenteeism, mental health crises, trauma exposure, and social injustices. These conditions escalate risks of dropping out and justice system involvement. Middle-school youth must navigate intense social and emotional change. To address such [...] Read more.
Low-income students from underrepresented communities experience significant educational inequalities, including chronic absenteeism, mental health crises, trauma exposure, and social injustices. These conditions escalate risks of dropping out and justice system involvement. Middle-school youth must navigate intense social and emotional change. To address such challenges, The Arthur Project (TAP) provides intensive, in-school, therapeutic mentoring and family support. The program teaches students essential life skills, such as problem-solving, communication, and academic engagement. Students are empowered to strengthen their resilience, perseverance, self-actualization, and confidence. TAP provides up to 500 h of therapeutic mentoring yearly over three years, delivered individually and in small groups by social work interns. The research question was as follows: Does structured, intensive in-school therapeutic mentoring with social work interns increase the socioemotional, cognitive, noncognitive, and academic skills and engagement of underserved middle-school students? This evaluation for the school year 2022–2023 is based on the program of 200 students and 30 mentors, with quantitative mentee, mentor, teacher, and caregiver surveys and qualitative interview data. The program and evaluation methodology are described, with results and conclusions. Students showed significant improvement in all domains; mentors reported student increases in confidence, perseverance, problem-solving, and communication; and teachers and caregivers reported students’ increased academic engagement. The Arthur Project program can become a national middle-school mentoring model to address widespread student inequalities. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Youth Justice: Social Policy, Social Work and Practice)
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17 pages, 454 KiB  
Concept Paper
Transforming the Balance of Power? Child First Collaboration: A Conceptual Analysis
by Kathy Hampson, Sean Creaney and Samantha Burns
Societies 2024, 14(8), 138; https://doi.org/10.3390/soc14080138 - 1 Aug 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 3189
Abstract
Collaboration is one of the major tenets of Child First justice and yet is proving problematic in its application across the sector, especially where children are compelled through court orders to engage with interventions, creating inevitable power imbalances. In order to facilitate children [...] Read more.
Collaboration is one of the major tenets of Child First justice and yet is proving problematic in its application across the sector, especially where children are compelled through court orders to engage with interventions, creating inevitable power imbalances. In order to facilitate children in genuinely influencing decision-making processes which concern them, their voice needs to be given its proper value. In this article we use the youth justice system of England and Wales to explore the meaning, value and presence of collaboration within youth justice whilst examining the power dynamics at play through the analytical lenses of Bronfenbrenner’s ecological approach and Bourdieu’s analytical tools. This lends itself to a novel conceptualisation of collaboration within the youth justice space, which is applicable to youth justice contexts internationally, distinguishing between different forms of the concept and examining how much opportunity for influence is actually given to children within their own youth justice journeys. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Youth Justice: Social Policy, Social Work and Practice)
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