• When a child commits a crime a great deal of effort is made by all professionals involved to provide the offender with access to alternative schemes with the aim of keeping them out of court.
• This based on the hope that young people may outgrow the offending behaviour and adopt law-abiding lifestyles as they mature.
• Research suggests that exposure to the criminal justice system at an early age can push a youthful offender further into a life of crime and damage their chances of rehabilitation.

As a result first time or minor offenders are often directed towards restorative or rehabilitative responses to their crime rather than punishment.