One of the hallmarks of the last decade has been a law and order focus on children and young people. Yet, the voices of children and young people are rarely heard in the development of criminal or social justice policy and practices. This themed issue of Criminal Justice Matters, edited by Sir Al Aynsley-Green, the Children’s Commissioner for England, places children and young people’s voices at the centre of the debate.

The magazine features a series of contributions from children and young people from a wide range of backgrounds and experiences. The views of those within the criminal justice system and who have been detained in Yarl’s Wood Immigration Removal Centre are heard alongside children and young people campaigning against the ‘Mosquito’ device deployed against young people in local shopping parades and others describing their experiences as looked after young people in the UK care system.

Girl M (15) speaking about her experience in Yarl’s Wood said

‘I saw how the other people had suffered from being there. How they’ve just got pain in their eyes. …In Yarl’s Wood, my mum was sad and crying all the time. It was really hard, seeing her like that. I did everything I could.’

Care leaver Tony, who is 20 and has been in prison since 16 said:

‘Being in care and being in prison are two different things. I know it can seem like care is prison but prison is the worse place on this earth. Getting told when to get up

and doing the same stuff everyday. Being locked behind a door for most of the day and having to watch your back from day to day – it’s not a life to live and it’s time for a change – not just for me but for everyone’.

Charmain, Danielle, Lewis and Barry from Corby who are campaigning against the use of the Mosquito device write:

‘We live in a democracy but as they say, “All men are equal but some are more equal than others”. That was never truer in terms of age; we still believe that in many cases young people are thought to be less important than older members of the community. It is up to us to show them that we are the voice and voters of the future.’

There are also additional contributions from leading academics in the field of young people’s criminal and social justice policy including Professor Barry Goldson

University of Liverpool; Deena Haydon, an independent research and policy consultant and Phil Scraton Professor of Criminology, Queen’s University, Belfast, as well as the Children’s Commissioner for Wales, Keith Towler.

Sir Al Ansley-Green said:

‘In sharing with us what they think, children and young people can support adults in making all our lives better. Time and time again they’re showing us all why it is so

essential for us to listen to them and to work together.’

Richard Garside, director of the Centre for Crime and Justice Studies, said:

‘Those at the bottom of pile at times of social and economic stress are children and young people from poor or vulnerable backgrounds. For this reason this issue of cjm places centre stage the voices of those who will feel the failure of government to impact on social inequality most.’

Other highlights in the non-themed section include:

Professor Rod Morgan questions the Youth Justice Board’s presentation of first-time entrants’ data and argues that the previous hard work to overcome the YJB’ reputation for spin is in danger of being thrown away.

Vanessa E Munro considers the government’s plans to criminalise the clients of controlled prostitutes. She asks if it will be an effective anti-trafficking measure or whether it will take the focus away from the wider issues of trafficking of cheap labour where employees are often unprotected and exploited in the workplace.

Arianna Silvestri, an Associate at the Centre for Crime and Justice Studies, discusses the Centre’s research on young people and gun and knife crime that shows with regard to knife crime there are simply no precedents for successful police operations.

Jon Collins, Campaign Director of the Criminal Justice Alliance, argues that while Titans may have been abandoned their replacements are little better and the only beneficiaries of the prison building programme will be the private companies contracted to run them.

 

 

Contact: Will McMahon, Centre for Crime and Justice Studies, 020 7848 1688 or 07968 950 223

Notes to editors:

Criminal Justice Matters is the quarterly magazine of the Centre for Crime and Justice Studies, an independent charity based at King's College. The views expressed in the magazine do not necessarily represent those of the Centre for Crime and Justice Studies. To view this issue of Criminal Justice Matters, visit the Informaworld website.

 

The Centre for Crime and Justice Studies is an independent charity based at King's College London. It was established in 1931 and aims to inform and educate about all aspects of crime and the criminal justice system from an objective standpoint. It encourages and facilitates healthy debate and understanding of the complex nature of issues concerning crime.

 

The full list of articles is as follows:

 

 

EDITORIAL Will McMahon and Tammy McGloughlin introduce this issue of cjm.

TOPICAL ISSUES AND COMMENT

New coalitions against trafficking in women?

Vanessa E Munro argues that the reform of trafficking legislation should be more candidly defended by the Home Office on the basis of the abolitionist agenda that effectively underpins it.

What kind of justice long after genocide?

As the Tribunal for the Cambodian genocide attempts a measure of accountability, Linda Banner looks at the influence of culture on justice in Cambodia.

Surveillance: who’s really in control?

Abie Longstaff and John Graham point to the problems created by the increasing involvement of corporations in the surveillance society.

Prison Expansion. Back to the drawing board?

Titans may have been abandoned but their replacements are little better argues Jon Collins.

EVIDENCE BASED POLICY

First-time youth offender entrants: more smoke and mirrors

Rod Morgan questions the Youth Justice Board’s presentation of first-time entrants’ data.

THEMED SECTION: CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE

Children and young people in their own words,

Sir Al Aynsley-Green introduces the contributions to this themed section.

Children’s rights: rhetoric and reality

Deena Haydon and Phil Scraton explore the deficit in effective implementation of children’s rights in the UK.

What ‘justice’ for children in conflict with the law? Some reflections and thoughts

Barry Goldson argues that the treatment of children in conflict with the law is an important signifier of a society’s civility.

‘It’s not a life to live and it’s time for a change – not just for me but for everyone’

Early in 2009 cjm spoke to Tony, aged 20, who has been in prison since he was 16, about being in care, being in prison and his plans for the future.

Pioneering a new educational forum

Liz Fekete reports on a debate on asylum-seeking children recently organised by students from Bristol's City Academy.

Trelya - Pictures, Words, Actions. A Special photo supplement

Sam Coates introduces one of the many projects children and young people have developed at Trelya.

‘I will never forget Yarl’s Wood’

A young girl (called Girl M - aged 15) speaks about her experience of Yarl’s Wood Immigration Removal Centre in 2007.

Say it loud! – voices from the care system Clare Edge spoke to a group of care-experienced young people who gave their answers to questions to put them by cjm.

‘It’s time to focus on the positive and change lives’

Earlier this year Ethan, aged 17, interviewed Rt Hon Beverly Hughes MP, Minister of State for Children, Young people and Families. 

‘BUZZ Off’ Campaign

Charmain, Danielle, Lewis and Barry write about the Corby Young People Friendly Neighbourhood Project.

11 MILLION Takeover Day

Columbus School and College in Essex visited the MENCAP office in London.

Brent Takeover Day experience in London.

Fairbridge Takeover Day plans an adventure park

Fairbridge, Jacqueline, aged 19 - from North Manchester.

Have your say

11 MILLION asked a number of children and young people what the words Justice, Respect, Safety and Fairness mean to them.

Treating our children as children first

Keith Towler calls for the youth justice system to be United Nations Convention on the Right of the Child compliant.

Beyond the rhetoric

Maire McCormack discusses the issue of the status of children of prisoners in Scotland.

There is a determination at all levels to reduce the gun and knife crime problem, not least among children and young people themselves.

Sir Al Aynsley-Green reports on a poll of 1,700 children and young people aged eight to 17 for their views on gun and knife crime.

Lord Laming: A timely and welcome review of the child protection services

Sue Berelowitz looks at the role of social workers and the tough decisions they face and argues that when mistakes are made they can lead to tragic circumstances which must be learnt from and not repeated.

IN FOCUS

Young people, ‘knife’ and ‘gun crime’: policy in an evidence vacuum?

Arianna Silvestri examines the evidence available to support interventions in this high profile area. 

What works for freedom?

If prison doesn’t work, what does? Anna Gilmour outlines the development of a new project at the Centre for Crime and Justice Studies.

Louk Hulsman: an obituary.

Andrea Beckmann remembers an inspirational criminologist.