ABSTRACT
Police decision-making takes place in private; part of an administrative process of considerable complexity. Most importantly their proceedings require the presence of the accused juvenile and his or her parents, or guardians. The semi-public nature of juvenile court proceedings also has implications for children and their parents. Physically, apart from symbolizing the majesty of law, juvenile courtrooms tend to be arranged so as to allow for two simultaneous confrontations. The artificiality of court dialogue and the esoteric nature of some of the conventions governing the giving of evidence were also illustrated during the hearing of a contested care application being made by a local authority. It is interesting that, in both areas, fines were imposed on the ten- to twelve-year-old railway children, a marked departure from the practice with the offenders in the main study.
