This fact sheet examines Australian and international approaches to youth justice.

International agreements, standards and guidelines

Over the past couple of decades, many countries have developed or revised their youth justice policies and practices.

A major influencing factor has been the introduction of international agreements and guidelines by the United Nations (UN). For example, under the UN’s 1989 Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), member states regularly report to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child. This has influenced youth justice systems in many countries, including the principles underpinning each system and the conduct of decision-making processes.

Three additional influential UN agreements that relate specifically to youth justice are:

• Standard Minimum Rules for the Administration of Juvenile Justice 1985 (also known as the Beijing Rules)
• Guidelines for the Prevention of Juvenile Delinquency 1990 (also known as the Riyadh Guidelines)
• Rules for the Protection of Juveniles Deprived of their Liberty 1990 (also known as the Havana Rules).

Within the broad framework of these international agreements, the philosophies, systems and processes for dealing with young people involved in criminal behaviour vary substantially among countries. In addition, the United States of America (USA) has not ratified the CRC and so its youth justice policies and practices are not bound by the Convention’s principles.