Weight: 50%
Must Complete: Yes
Word Length: 2,500 words
Notes: Take home exam
This assessment relates to:
Learning Outcomes 1-5
The total word limit for this examination is 2,500 words. Submit your responses to the questions in one document. Referencing is necessary and the word count does not include your reference list. Only one reference list is required at the end of the document.The work you present for the examination must be your own work.
HSSW 504 Juvenile Justice And Child Protection Assignment-New England University Australia.
Question 1
Matt is a 15 y/o young person, from a farming family in rural NSW. About five years ago, his cousin on his mother’s side, Robbie, who was 5 years older than him, died in a quad bike accident on the family farm. He was
very close to Robbie and was devastated by this. Following this event, Matt has got into trouble with police for joy riding and damaging property. These matters have been dealt with under the Young Offenders Act 1998 (NSW).
In order to have a new start, Matt moved to Sydney about a year ago to live with his paternal aunt and uncle and his other cousins of a similar age. Since this time, he has settled down in his new school and has been very focused on his studies and playing sports. He achieves very high grades in science subjects and wants to become a soil scientist so that he can look after the land for future generations.
A few months ago, Robbie’s father died by suicide on the family farm. This news hit Matt hard. He couldn’t concentrate at school and found himself getting more and more behind. His attendance at school has dropped and he began to experience an increasing sense of frustration as well as isolation.
He began to feel angry at the smallest thing and found it very difficult to relate to the other students in the school. One day during a training session for athletics, some of the other boys were mocking people who experience mental health issues calling them ‘losers and dropkicks’. Matt couldn’t take it. He snapped and punched one of the other boys in the face. The boy fell to the ground and was taken to hospital to receive medical care for a bruised nose.
Identify the options that may be available to the police in dealing with this matter under the Young Offenders Act 1997 (NSW) and evaluate each one in terms of the effectiveness in dealing with youth crime more generally. Support your answer by drawing on research (including your textbook) and the relevant international agreements.
HSSW 504 Juvenile Justice And Child Protection Assignment-New England University Australia.
Question 2
About a month following the Baxter Juvenile Justice Centre riot on the Central Coast in July 2019 (See Youth detention centre inmates leave roof after 21-hour siege), you read the following letter in the Sydney Morning Herald:
Dear Politicians,
I am writing to express my outrage at those young hoodlums who took it upon themselves to waste tax payer’s money and engage in riotous be haviour at the Baxter Juvenile Justice Centre. Who do they think they are? They are in detention because they are criminals and the court determined that they should be locked away in order to learn a lesson and take responsibility for the crimes they have committed.
These yobbos should be grateful that they have their creature comforts (too many of them in my opinion) in a safe and secure environment. Instead, they chose to abuse the very system that is caring for them.
I blame the left wingers with their welfareist agenda and soft touch for this complete lack of respect of the foundations of a decent society.
Sincerely, Jo Bloggs
HSSW 504 Juvenile Justice And Child Protection Assignment-New England University Australia.
Write a letter in order to challenge Mr Bloggs’ attitude towards youth crime. In your answer, draw on credible research and on international treaties to support your argument. You can write your answer as a letter straight to Mr Bloggs, or you can write it in an essay form discussing what you would say and why.