Extending youth justice beyond age 18 is a no-brainer

One of my early contributions to the work of the YJB was to initiate the development of a prevention and inclusion agenda. This, along with other measures, was intended to slow the numbers entering the youth justice system and, through slowing the flow, reducing those ending up in custody. There are probably many other reasons for the current situation, which should be celebrated, but it would be rewarding to think that those prevention measures have had some effect on these outcomes.

Now, then, is the time to think about next steps for youth justice, especially in relation to those young people who are still in the system and those who are destined to move beyond it, into regimes in both community and custody for young adult offenders. It is in fact bizarre that our cut-off point for juvenile justice remains at 18. In most other youth policy domains, as youth transitions have become more prolonged and complex, the definition of young people across many countries extends into the 20s, often up to (and occasionally beyond) the age of 30.