Useful Notes to Have –Module 1: ‘Origins of Youth Justice’

As you complete your assigned reading and listen to the practitioner interviews you may wish to complete the below table. This will help you to
collate notes in a useful format for reference when completing assessments (e.g. workbook entries and quizzes). Having a set of notes to work
from is particularly useful for ensuring that you complete your assessments in a timely and well informed manner.

Key concepts and main points ‘Juvenile delinquent’ (focus on what is meant by the social
construction of terms like juvenile delinquent and how systems are
In this row include any concepts or key arguments that you hear from
practitioners or locate in the readings. It may help you to also include a also constructed within particular context)
citation to the authors or the occupational title of the practitioner (e.g.
president of the children’s court, juvenile justice case worker etc.).

‘Minimum age of criminal responsibility’ (Define this, and provide

brief notes on the debates about using chronological versus
developmental age to set the MACR)

The presumption of ‘doli-incapax’ (Define this legal principle, and

provide brief notes on the debates around its use)

‘Child’s best interest’ (Define and provide brief notes on the

challenges to this idea)

Important examples
The practitioners often mention examples from their practice, these can be Choose one example for two or three of the key concepts or main
very helpful to note. Examples often help make a key concept or main point ideas you cover in the previous section. Also, identify ‘key periods’
explicit. Examples can also be extracted from your readings. that illustrate the developments or changes that resulted in a
separate criminal justice system for children.

Definitions of new vocabulary

These can be any new words that are unfamiliar to you. Once noted you You know best what words are new to you and worth defining for
can look up a dictionary to obtain a definition and note it on this row. future reference. Below a list of terms that may be unknown, and
worth defining is offered as a guide, it is not exhaustive.
 Social construct
 Industrial Schools
 Reformatories
 Chronological age
 Developmental age
 Criminalisation
 Therapeutic supports

Any references provided

Practitioners often mention specific reports, surveys, or legislation. It is Some examples, but you can look for more in your reading and via
important to note those, and look them up to further your understanding of the practitioner interviews:
key concepts and main points made in the interviews.  United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CROC)


Anything that you do not understand (key terms, theories or

claims)
Noting content that is unclear or that you are confused about is normal,
and a very important practice. The content you place in this row can serve
as the basis for discussions!
Your reflections, questions and ideas
Here you can note your reactions to the readings and interviews. What did
you learn from reading/listening? What did you read/hear that you were
not convinced by, and why? How might you respond to the main points
being made in readings/interviews? Gathering these thoughts is important,
as often they form the basis for developing your own voice, and critical
thought.