Responding to Antisocial Behaviour in New South Wales: Youth Conduct Orders
| Author | Anca Stanculescu |
| Pages | 67-80 |
67
RESPONDING TO ANTISOCIAL BEHAVIOUR IN NEW
SOUTH WALES: YOUTH CONDUCT ORDERS
Anca Stanculescu, PhD Student, School of Social Science and Psychology, University of
Western Sydney & Dr Brian Stout, Associate Professor, University of Western Sydney
Abstract
Responding to behaviour from young people that is deemed troublesome but is not
necessarily a breach of the criminal law is a challenge in many jurisdictions and this paper
discusses responses to young people in New South Wales who engage in antisocial
behaviour, specifically Youth Conduct orders, the readiness to resort to Youth Conduct
Orders; the terms of YCOs and custodial net-widening. The paper draws li nks and
connections between the policy, practical and legislative responses to ASB in New Sout h
Wales and the approaches taken in England and Wales. It argues that in both jurisdictions
there has been a disjunction between the public di scussion of antisocial behaviour and the
ability of relevant authorities to implement the resulting legislation effectively. Effective
responses to ASB ar e often those that are outside the criminal justice system and away
from public attention. This paper develops a critical analysis of the political and ideological
significance of the problematisation of antisocial behaviour (ASB) and the criminalisation
of young people through social policy associated with enforcement driven ASB strat egies.
Keywords
antisocial behaviour; youth conduct orders; youth justice
British Journal of Community Justice
©2014 Sheffield Hallam University, Sheffield
ISSN 1475-0279
Vol. 12(2): 67-80
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