To assess the effectiveness of Fresh Start, this study will be supported by a brief comparative institutional analysis of the various approaches to youth justice in Australia and the United States. By comparing research and case studies on approaches to youth justice from other countries with New Zealand, ideas and policies can be identified to help improve New Zealand’s approach.
Case Study One: Pathways to Prevention Project, Australia:
The long term goal of the Project is to use developmental prevention strategies to reduce the crime rate in the target area through: working with young children, supporting their families and building community capacity. From the Pathways example we can learn that projects such as these should not be used in isolation. They cannot be the cure for everything, so many solutions and reforms in the areas of welfare, education, employment, health and housing are equally as important
Case Study Two: Boot Camps in the U.S.
Numerous studies of juvenile boot camps in the U.S. have shown that those who attend them are no less likely to reoffend than those who are incarcerated. In fact, some research has even shown that boot camp attendees are more likely to reoffend than other offenders. Boot camps are also not cost effective, and they do not provide a ‘quick fix’ to youth offending.