The Christchurch Youth Drug Court: a Return to the Rehabilitative Ideal?

Abstract

This paper compares the aims and processes of the Christchurch Youth Drug Court Pilot (YDC) with the rehabilitative ideal, and examines whether the criticism that the rehabilitative ideal undermined the autonomy and dignity of individual offenders applies to the YDC. It argues that the YDC employs aims and processes that aspire to promote rather than undermine the autonomy and dignity of individuals, but the lack of legal safeguards leaves participants vulnerable.