ABSTRACT
In this chapter, the author describes the development of changing ideologies in relation to juvenile offending as reflected in, or prompted by, social policy. He shows that alongside concerns shown by some groups of people about the treatment of juvenile offenders, both in the courts and in penal institutions, tensions have continued to exist in relation to determining the most effective response to juvenile crime. The author provides emphasis on the welfare needs of children and young people in trouble emerged and culminated in an ideological debate played out in the juvenile justice system. He outlines the principles and operation of the tariff system within the legislative context that applied at the time of the study and discusses the relative merits of the cases for and against its existence. The effect of these changes was to create a bifurcated system of juvenile justice with measures designed to address welfare need operating in parallel with punitive, justice model measures.
