N.Z. Treatment Of Juvenile Delinauency Commended

Press, Volume XCIII, Issue 28002, 23 June 1956, Page 9

N.Z. Treatment Of Juvenile Delinauency Commended

<Rec. 10 p.m.) NEW YORK. June 21. Methods used in Australia and New Zealand in dealing with juvenile delinquents were held up in a United Nations report today as worth copying k' other parts of the world. The report was the latest issue of the “International Review of Criminal Policy.” a journal of applied criminological science prepared by the United Nations Bureau of Social Affairs to facilitate the exchange ol technical information among governments and workers in the prevention of crime and the treatment of offenders. „ . , ~ In Australia and New Zealand, the Review said, juvenile delinquency as « social problem was dealt with in *uch a way that its prevention received as much attention as the treatment of juvenile offenders. In both Countries, it was stated, special legislative provisions, quite often in one and the same law, were made in respect of delinquent and non-dehnquent juveniles. All activities connected Jrith the care and protection of delinquent and non-delinquent juveniles *ere concentrated in the hands of *®ntralised government authorities.

Under this arrangement, a high degree of co-ordination was achieved. The report said the most distinctive method of treatment found in the two countries was undoubtedly the tendency of their Children's Courts to commit delinquent juveniles as State wards to the care of the child welfare authorities. This method offered a certain amount of flexibility in the application of rehabilitative measures to juvenile delinquents. The child welfare authorities could, after finding out the needs of an individual juvenile, apply what was considered the most appropriate measure for his rehabilitation.

If, however, the response was not favourable, the authorities without having to take back the case to Court, could readjust their programme and try another measure on the juvenile concerned. ‘ “This departure from the usua. methods found elsewhere may serve a useful purpose in establishing policies and programmes for the prevention of juvenile delinquency and the treatment of juvenile offenders in other parts of the world, the report said.