Communication Difficulties and youth in the justice system: a preliminary investigation of the effectiveness of interventions with service providers

Abstract

Recent research has revealed an unacceptably high level of oral communication difficulties among youth involved in the justice system compared to their typically developing peers in the UK, Australia and the USA (>60% cf. c.11%) (Snow, Powell & Sanger, 2012). There is also a high correlation between oral communication difficulties and school failure, emotional and behavioural difficulties, poverty and social deprivation and mental health problems (Hughes et al, 2012). Concern over this issue and the lack of data or services in NZ led to the creation of the ‘Talking Trouble’ project at te Whare Wananga o Aotearoa in late 2012. This project aims to promote and foster research, training and education of professionals and others involved with young people, intervention for them, and the development of resources. This paper will concentrate on the second of those aims, the training and education of other professionals. Training programmes are only of value if they result in change, although this can be difficult to measure. There is some evidence from UK programmes that such training can be effective (Burrows & Yiga, 2012). The 'Talking Trouble' project has run a number of courses for those running arson prevention education programmes for the NZ Fire Service over the past year, and measures of knowledge and attitude were taken before and after this training. This paper will report on the successful aspects of this training and what could be improved upon for future programmes.