Abstract:
This thesis offers the first evaluation of communication assistance in the New Zealand youth justice system. Communication assistance in this context refers to specialist one on one support for rangatahi (young people) in youth justice processes who have been identified as having communication difficulties. With research showing that at least 60% of rangatahi who offend have communication difficulties, it is important that we find effective solutions that enable meaningful participation in youth justice processes. This research included two studies that were qualitative in nature and used thematic analysis to analyse the interview transcripts. Study one involved interviews with rangatahi and whānau (n = 10). Rangatahi and whānau spoke of communication assistance as a transformative and empowering experience that enabled them to participate meaningfully in youth justice processes. Study two involved interviews with youth justice professionals, including judges, lawyers, social workers, youth justice co-ordinators, lay advocates, psychologists, police, a court registrar, and communication assistants (n = 28). Professionals were also overwhelmingly in support of communication assistance and shared encouraging stories about young people who were better able to share their views and participate in justice processes affecting them. Professionals did highlight, however, challenges in relation to how communication assistance was functioning in practice. These challenges included being a new profession with a developing identity; figuring out who needs help and when; no standard practices or processes exist; and not everyone knows about it. The findings of this study suggest that there is a pressing need in NZ for the drafting of policy and a framework in this area. Overall, however, the findings suggest that communication assistance has a valuable and ongoing role to play in the NZ youth justice system and may be one means of addressing the over-representation of communication difficulties in this population.
