Locality, legitimacy and the limits of diversion: Reviewing youth justice in Jersey

Abstract

This article is based on the authors’ involvement in two reviews of Jersey's youth justice system, carried out in 2010 and 2018. The reviews provide fresh insights into the process of moving towards a child-first, rights-informed youth justice system; the potential of traditional community justice to be used as a vehicle for diversion, particularly when such culturally embedded practices enjoy public support; and the need to adapt strategies to the limitations of local conditions and resources in order to ensure feasibility. These findings support and amplify the conclusions of recent research on how localities can shape youth justice.