What is a Youth Justice Conference?
A Youth Justice Conference is a meeting between a young person who has committed an offence, the victim and other people who know about the offence. It focuses on repairing the harm caused by the offending behaviour and restoring relationships within the family and broader community.
What is a conference?
A Youth Justice Conference is a meeting between a young person who has committed an offence, the victim and other people who know about the offence.
At a conference:
the young person accepts responsibility by talking about the offence and thinking about the harm they have caused the victim
the victim tells the young person how they felt about the offence and how they were harmed
the victim and other people attending the conference can also ask the young person questions about what happened
the participants decide on an outcome plan which sets out tasks for the young person to complete to make up for some of the harm they have caused. This can include an apology, actions directly for the victim, and steps to link the young person into the community.
Who organises the conference?
The conference convenor organises the conference. They will plan the conference date, time, and place with everyone involved. They will also meet with all the participants before the conference to invite them to attend and explain what happens at a conference and what each participant’s role is.
At a conference, the convenor guides the participants through the conference by managing the discussion, asking questions, and following a set conference structure.
Who attends the conference?
The following people can attend the conference:
the young person
the young person’s support people/responsible adult
the victim of the offence
the victim’s support person or their representative
the conference convenor
a NSW Police officer
a legal advisor for the young person
other respected members of the community who can help develop an outcome plan, such as an Elder, firefighter or counsellor
skilled support people, such as an interpreter
a representative from the young person’s school.
Conferencing helps divert young people from the justice system
The Young Offenders Act 1997 (NSW) is the legislation that provides an alternative process for dealing with young people who commit certain offences in NSW. The Act sets out three diversionary justice outcomes: