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The Act was based on the South Australian system of restorative justice which in turn was based on practices in New Zealand.
It applies to young people aged between 10 and 18.
According to the Department of Health and Human Services 2013 website, the Youth Justice Act is based on the principles of 'accountability and restorative justice'. It is designed to encourage young people to take responsibility for their behaviour and to make amends for the damage they have done. This is carried out through the participation of victims, the involvement of parents, and through rehabilitation programs. The aim is to help young people who have broken the law to become good 'citizens'.
In order to promote rehabilitation, the Act stipulates that a young person should only be placed in detention as a 'last resort' and for as short a time as possible. It introduced measures to keep young people out of detention. These included police cautioning, community conferencing, and community based supervision orders.
