Young people’s experience of communication within youth justice in Aotearoa New Zealand (2017)

For youth to engage more successfully in youth justice and achieve more positive outcomes, the processes involved need to become more communication accessible. This research, in collaboration with Talking Trouble Aotearoa NZ, gave young people the opportunity to tell us about their experiences of communication within the youth justice sector in New Zealand. They were encouraged to say what they think the youth justice workforce can do differently to make it easier for young people to participate in all the conversations and processes involved.

This research gave young people the opportunity to tell us about their experiences of communication within the youth justice sector in New Zealand. They were encouraged to say what they think the youth justice workforce can do differently to make it easier for young people to participate in all the conversations and processes involved.

Thirteen young people who have experience with the youth justice system in New Zealand were interviewed in July and August 2017. This report shares these young peoples’ experiences of communication, and voices their ideas about how the youth justice workforce can make sure that young people can:

•say what they need to say

•be heard, and understood

•listen to, and remember what they hear

•understand the processes they are involved in, such as interactions with Police, and within Family Group Conferences and court hearings.