Description
Lived experience of a ‘Last Resort’: Young people’s experiences of youth custody in Ireland.Abstract:
This research explores the lived experiences of youth custody as a ‘last resort’ principle from the perspectives of children in custody in the Republic of Ireland (ROI) and justice-experienced peer researchers in Northern Ireland (NI). It focuses on how children perceive and experience custody within the context of international frameworks, such as the principle that custody should only be used as a last resort and for the shortest possible duration.
Methodologically, the study adopts an innovative interdisciplinary approach by employing Youth Participatory Action Research (YPAR) and Participatory Theme Elicitation (PTE). These participatory methods actively involve children in custody as co-designers of interview questions and NI peer researchers as co-analysts of anonymised data. This approach integrates insights from criminology, sociology, and psychology to ensure children’s voices are authentically represented and to reduce researcher bias through collaboration with individuals with lived experience.
The presentation will focus on the methodological contributions of the study, highlighting how participatory and interdisciplinary methods were used to engage children and peer researchers throughout the research process. By emphasising collaboration and authentic representation, these methods offer valuable insights into how criminological research can adapt to an interdisciplinary age and better centre the voices of those most impacted by justice systems. This interdisciplinary approach not only enriches the criminological understanding but also bridges gaps with social sciences and humanities, fostering a more holistic view of youth justice.
| Period | 28 Apr 2025 |
|---|---|
| Event type | Conference |
| Location | Cambridge, United KingdomShow on map |
| Degree of Recognition | International |