Juvenile Justice, Social Work and Social Control. The Need for Positive Thinking

Summary This paper has a two-fold purpose. Firstly, it suggests thatan examination of current trends in the juvenile justice systemof England and Wales sustains the viewpoint that there has been,during the last decade, a considerable increase in the degreeof surveillance and coercion of large sections of the youthpopulation. Secondly, it attempts to outline a positive rolefor social work professionals working in the juvenile justicesystem which may help to counter these tendencies and reconceptualisegeneral thinking on problems of youth crime and juvenile justicepenology.