Question 1: Critically discuss and evaluate the benefits of diverting young offenders from the criminal justice system with reference to current theories of developmental pathways and empirical research.

Question 2: Despite significant improvements in how rape victims are treated by the criminal justice system, rape remains a crime with relatively low conviction rates. Discuss with reference to the psychology of victimization and current empirical research.Question 3:  “There is little or no role for psychology in the punishment of prisoners” (Howitt, 2018, p.526). Discuss with reference to current empirical research, focusing on how prison can use the skills of psychologists to facilitate a reduction in reoffending behaviour.

Even though youth crime rates have fallen since the mid-1990s, public fear and political rhetoric over the issue have heightened. The Columbine shootings and other sensational incidents add to the furor. Often overlooked are the underlying problems of child poverty, social disadvantage, and the pitfalls inherent to adolescent decisionmaking that contribute to youth crime. From a policy standpoint, adolescent offenders are caught in the crossfire between nurturance of youth and punishment of criminals, between rehabilitation and “get tough” pronouncements. In the midst of this emotional debate, the National Research Council’s Panel on Juvenile Crime steps forward with an authoritative review of the best available data and analysis. Juvenile Crime, Juvenile Justice presents recommendations for addressing the many aspects of America’s youth crime problem