"Believing" in youth justice

This chapter will explore the dynamics of young offenders’ world views and the importance of understanding and utilising this concept as a resource for effective practice in youth justice. It will examine the role of religion in youth justice; how the interplay between a young person’s agency, beliefs, values and behaviour generates possibilities for change. The particular focus will be on young people’s religious identity and its implications for supporting the initial transitions towards abstinence from offending. The chapter will discuss the issues for practitioners of developing “religious literacy” and explore strategies for opening up conversations with young people about their belief systems. The notion of the good life as a life worth living will be scrutinised as a strengths-based model of rehabilitation through identifying youth offenders’ future goals and intended strategies for achieving them. Furthermore, it will examine the notion of moral exemplars as a catalyst for transformation. The importance of faith communities as a resource for practitioners and young people in conflict with the law will also be explored.