A comparative study of the juvenile justice systems of Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland

Abstract

This thesis consists of a comparative analysis of the trends in social policy in relation to the juvenile justice systems in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. The work has addressed several key issues relating to this central theme. These have included: a critical reflection upon the origins of the Irish juvenile justice system in the context of Western industrialisation; an assessment of the impact of recent constraints on government spending in relation to the child care policy of the North and South; and an analysis of the extent to which a convergence in juvenile justice policy has taken place. Relevant to this analysis the professional groupings which compose the structure of the modern states and their respective contributions to the current policy debates have been examined.