Position Paper 2023

Transdisciplinary Research for Youth Justice – Position Paper 2023 27 standard, which impacts all the other rights contained within the Convention. Article 40 of the UNCRC requires that criminal justice interventions should provide equal opportunities for successful rehabilitation and reintegration to all children, to enable them to assume a constructive role in society in accordance with their individual developmental potential. If Charlie’s status as a child is to be recognised then the protection rights stemming from the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and the 1989 and 2004 need to be upheld. 4.7 Overall Charlie Case Study summary There are several sequential target points for intervention which could have been utilised in Charlie’s case. Without detail of what interventions were in place, it is difficult to comment on where the systemic failings lie, however due to Charlie ending up in the justice system there were unequivocally failings from systems in place to support young people from disrupted homes. Firstly, when social services became involved with Charlie’s brother, this offered a point of intervention for family support. Secondly, mainstream education should have been made more accessible and supportive for Charlie, particularly when school attendance was low. Thirdly, upon being excluded from mainstream school and referred to a PRU, diversionary support could have been put in place. Fourth, when Charlie had initial police contact (without arrest) diversionary strategies or pathways could have been put in place particularly to support Charlie with substance use problems, and social work services involved at disclosure of abuse from Charlie’s stepdad. Also, important to note is that once in prison, support can be implemented to improve life chances and successful re-integration into the community upon release, creating a fifth opportunity for intervention.