Ten ways to Improve Juvenile Justice

The main problem with juvenile justice tends to be political rather than scientific or institutional. In effect, it is not fact-based evidence but skewed perception that is driving contemporary criminal justice policy. The universal questions are how to construct systems that work best for young people and their communities, and how to address the underlying problems of both inequality and institutional bias. Using Australia as a case in point, this commentary provides a general guideline to principles and practices that have proven worth in achieving these ends.