To study mental health courts and other justice responses to youth with mental health issues

In brief, two or three key observations are made with respect to each of the three main stages of justice responses, namely diversion, court and detention. To summarise them, they are as follow:

• Juvenile Diversion: Screening matters! Juvenile Diversion: Community-based and driven programs are more effective mechanisms
• Juvenile Courts: Collaboration is the key! Juvenile Courts: Invest in and value input from specialist services Juvenile Courts: Determined efforts in research and evaluation to justify reform
• Juvenile Detention: Rehabilitation and treatment are better pathways to achieve security Juvenile Detention: Rigorous and comprehensive review and monitoring mechanism need to be in place to generate change Keywords: Juvenile diversion, juvenile courts, juvenile detention, mental health, self-harm, at risk behaviour, Royal Commission.

Clement was a 2021 Policy Impact Program participant and featured in the Policy Futures publication with his article It’s Time to Treat Sick Kids, Not Punish Them. Watch his presentation below. You can also watch all PIP presentations here.