Youth justice conferences

Youth justice conferences are more serious than warnings, but less serious than court proceedings.

Youth Justice Conference are for repeated minor crimes, or more serious crimes such as stealing from a shop, smashing a car window, or breaking into a house.

A Youth Justice Conference involves a meeting and discussion between yourself and others.

There are two types of Youth Justice Conferences:

1. 1. A family conference or formal caution involves talking about the offence you have committed with your family, and other people who are important in your life and can help you stay out of trouble, e.g., a teacher or someone you respect. There are usually conditions attached to formal cautions, such as a curfew, paying back money for the damage you caused, or attending a program to help you stay out of trouble.

1. 1. A victim offender conference involves talking about the crime with your family and the victim, listening to how your crime has affected the victim and discussing ways to take responsibility for your actions. The people attending the conference agree on a suitable outcome for your crime which may include a genuine apology to the victim, paying compensation to the victim, or fixing any damage you caused.

For free and confidential legal advice about this topic, please contact us here.