Work

Interpreting complex needs in youth justice: Epistemic injustice and conceptual reform

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Youth justice systems in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand increasingly recognise complex needs shaped by disability, communication difficulty, trauma, poverty, cultural dislocation and colonial marginalisation. Yet, decision-making relies on operational concepts such as compliance, engagement, remorse, insight, risk and rehabilitation. Drawing on epistemic injustice, this article argues that communication-heavy processes may misread complex needs as disengagement, non-compliance, poor insight or heightened risk. It proposes conceptual reform as a practical framework for auditing, disaggregating, recalibrating, operationalising and testing high-stakes concepts. This approach seeks to improve interpretive fairness while preserving accountability, procedural fairness, victim recognition, rehabilitation, public safety and meaningful participation.

Source: Youth Justice

DOI: 10.1177/14732254261481736

Author: Christos Constantine

Institution: La Trobe University

Language: English

Topic: Criminal Justice and Penology

Subfield: Law

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDGs: Peace, justice, and strong institutions, Reduced inequalities

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $3,650