Youth Justice in the UK - Essay Example

Between arrest and sentence, it could take anywhere between 70 to 170 days. In spite of the efforts of schools and parents, training and employment, services for tackling drug and alcohol abuse, as part of the developed strategy, youth crime have not fallen much. Crime and Disorder Act 1998, sections 37 to 43 deal with crime, warnings, punishments, rehabilitation and various programmes to improve a lot of youth offenders. In spite of many efforts and Acts, youth justice had not been achieved in the UK.

 United Nations has taken steps for international youth justice. UN Youth Flash like websites encourages youth online participation. UN General Assembly defined youth as persons between the age group of 15 and 24, both inclusive and according to this definition, UN says that approximately 1 billion youth live in the world today and 85% of them are in developing countries and 60% of them are in Asia alone. UN identifies as priority issues of youth are education, employment, hunger and poverty eradication, health, environment, drug abuse, juvenile delinquency, leisure-time activities, girls and young men, the full and effective participation of youth in the life of society and in decision making.

UN hopes that Governments of the world take care of these matters. UN believes in empowering youth in development and peace, keeping in mind their aspirations, and that they are the key agents for social change economic development and technological innovation. UN recognizes that it is necessary to encourage their imagination, ideas, energy, and vision while noting that they represent society's hope, but have uncertain future. Their intellectual contribution and ability to mobilize support is not overlooked.

UN tries to maximize the resources, funding, eradicate inequalities of economic, social and political conditions, ethnic prejudice and unemployment. UN is working against gender discrimination, insecure livelihoods, conflict, exclusion, homelessness, continuous deterioration of the environment, hunger, malnutrition, disease and lack of education and employment opportunities.  In 1965, UN has asked the Member States to endorse the Declaration on the Promotion among Youth of the ideals of Peace, mutual respect and understanding between peoples.

In 1995 it strengthened its commitment by directing international community to address youth problems like drug abuse, juvenile delinquency, and social development under Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which also cover rights of health, education, and employment along with disability support. Global Youth Conferences insist on 'empowering youth for action' and that youth issues should be tackled from local, national, regional and international levels. Youth should be treated as a challenge and a resource and should be allowed for economic, social, cultural and political participation.

UN reiterates working for and with Youth while laying stress on inter-cultural, inter-regional and international interactions to promote World Youth Forum of the United Nations System.