Queensland Consolidated Acts Queensland Consolidated Acts(1) The object of this part is to establish a youth justice conference process for a child who admits committing an offence to a police officer or after a finding of guilt for an offence is made against the child before a court.
(2) The process allows the child, a victim of the offence and other concerned persons to consider or deal with the offence in a way benefiting all concerned.
(3) The process includes the following basic steps--
(a) a police officer or court refers the offence to a youth justice conference;
(b) a convenor convenes the conference between the child and other concerned persons;
(c) at the conference the offence is discussed and an agreement made on what must be done because of the offence.
(4) The benefits intended are--
(a) the child may benefit by--
(i) meeting any victim and taking responsibility for the results of the offence in an appropriate way; and
(ii) having the opportunity to make restitution and pay compensation for the offence; and
(iii) taking responsibility for the way in which the conference deals with the offence; and
(iv) having less involvement with the courts' criminal justice system; and
(b) the child's parents may benefit by--
(i) being involved in decision making about the child's behaviour; and
(ii) being encouraged to fulfil their responsibility for the support and supervision of the child; and
(iii) being involved in a process that encourages their participation and provides support in family relationships; and
(c) the victim may benefit by the opportunity--
(i) to meet and understand the child and understand why the offence was committed; and
(ii) to express the victim's concerns; and
(iii) to have questions answered; and
(iv) to influence the way in which the conference deals with the offence; and
(v) to encourage the child's sense of responsibility; and
(d) the community may benefit by--
(i) fewer offences being committed because of effective early intervention by the community; and
(ii) less public cost from unnecessary involvement of the courts' criminal justice system; and
(iii) increasing resolution of disputes within the community without government intervention or legal proceedings.
(5) In deciding whether it is appropriate to refer an offence to a conference, a police officer or court must have regard to--
(a) the offence's nature; and
(b) the harm suffered by anyone because of the offence; and
(c) whether the interests of the community and the child would be served by having the offence considered or dealt with at a conference.
(6) This part provides for youth justice conferences generally.
(7) Part 2, division 3 has provisions for a youth justice conference when an offence is referred by a police officer instead of bringing a child before a court for the offence.
(8) Part 7, division 2 has provisions for a youth justice conference when an offence is referred by a court after a finding of guilt is made against a child for the offence.