Northwest Institute for Restorative Justice

BOOK REVIEW YOUTH JUSTICE AND THE YOUTH COURT By Mike Watkins and Diane Johnson ISBN: 978-1-904380-53-5 Waterside Press www.WatersidePress.co.uk YOUTH LAW EXPLAINED AND REVIEWED An appreciation by Phillip Taylor MBE and Elizabeth Taylor of Richmond Green Chambers This is very much a hands-on book written by Mike Watkins and Diane Johnson from Waterside Press, with a foreword from Chris Stanley. The trio have considerable experience of the workings of this first rung criminal court which handles well in excess of 95% of youth offending with a team of mainly legally unqualified justices who give of their time to serve their local communities. Members of The Bench remain the unsung heroes of civic life, especially in this jurisdiction. Whether you read the book cover to cover, or selectively as a reference to specific areas, you will find your understanding of the youth justice system in England and Wales immeasurably enhanced. Examining in depth the roles of the youth court, police, Crown prosecutors, youth offending teams (YOTs) and youth offending panels (YOPs), this extremely useful work deals with the full spectrum of youth justice processes and issues, beginning with Chris Stanleys foreword which contains a brief yet fascinating history of youth justice. For example, did you know that the youth court is 100 years old? It was established by the Children Act 1908 and implemented in April 1909. The Act represented a reform and reflected an evolving change in public …