The above video provides an introduction to the Young Adult List. For more information, you can continue reading below.
Supporting young adults through court and toward pathways out of the justice system
The Young Adult List is an approach to the District Court for 18 to 25 year olds. The List makes some changes to standard court processes and connects young adults with community supports who can help them through court and possibly beyond.
The goal is for everyone to understand what is happening and feel understood by those making decisions about them, so they can fully participate in the court process.
How did the Young Adult List come about?
In 2019, His Honour Judge John Walker suggested the idea for the Young Adult List. He noticed that young adults don’t suddenly grow out of the challenges that bring young people to the Youth Court. Judge Walker suggested that the District Court can better support young adults and prevent reoffending by using what works in the Youth Court and other Therapeutic Courts.
What happens in the Young Adult List?
The Judge and the Young Adult List court team work together to make sure all people (young adults, victims, their whānau and support people) feel acknowledged, welcomed, respected, and treated fairly.
• Understanding what is happening
Everyone working in the court makes an effort to speak in plain language. This isn’t just about using simple words instead of big legal words. It’s about taking time to explain things and check people understand what has been said and what is expected of them. It’s also about supporting people who might need a little extra help to understand, e.g. helping young adults access Communication Assistants if needed.
• Feeling heard and understood
Young adults, victims, their whānau and support people are given the opportunity to speak and be included in proceedings. The court team has a good understanding of young adults and the challenges and needs that often bring them to court.
• Support for positive change
As part of the court process, young adults may be connected with community services and programmes (such as counselling and training courses) to help them rehabilitate, grow and address their offending. When the young adult has had an opportunity to make positive changes, the Judge will make a decision about their sentence.
If you are a defendant aged 18 to 25
We have created a handbook to explain the List to you. It has answers to common questions and says what some words used at court mean. It is available in standard font [PDF, 536 KB] and dyslexic font [PDF, 21 MB].
Your lawyer may suggest some actions you can take to make positive changes in your life. If you agree, these actions will be included in an Intervention Plan. Actions may include getting your driver’s licence, attending counselling or connecting with your whakapapa.
If you are a victim
If you are a victim of someone appearing in the Young Adult List, you, and your support people, are acknowledged, treated with respect, and given a voice. A Court Victim Advisor(external link) will generally contact you after the young adult’s first appearance. You can:
attend any court hearing, where everyone in court will speak in a way which is easier for everyone to understand
apply to read your Victim Impact Statement at sentencing
choose to be involved in a restorative justice conference
be informed about the young adult’s progress through their court case
You may need to adjust how you usually work. Some changes you will see at court are:
Everyone, including the Judge, speaking in plain language. If you need to use legal terms, you will be expected explain what the term means.
Registry providing reports to the Judge, Prosecution and Defence if the young adult has Youth or Family Court history.
Duty Lawyers recording information about the young adult in the Duty Lawyer Checklist at first appearance. This will be given to the assigned lawyer at the second appearance.
Alternative courtroom layouts with Defence Lawyers standing next to the young adult they are representing.
Judges acknowledging and speaking directly to young adults and their whānau.
If you are a Lawyer, you should seek the Police Prosecutor’s views on an Intervention Plan before it is provided to the Judicial Officer for approval. The Judicial Officer may take the young adult’s progress on their plan into account at sentencing.
The following templates are available to support you:
Progress Summary [PDF, 634 KB]– you may need to provide this to a community service provider, so they can update the court as to the young adult’s progress on their plan.
Education Package
Before you begin working in the List, you should complete the education package. It has been developed to provide information to help you feel informed and prepared. The education package includes training modules on important elements of the Young Adult List, such as plain language and supporting resources.
The Ministry have also developed Operating Guidelines to provide a central point of information about the List. This document provides the national approach for the List, but some local variances may apply to reflect the court and community needs. This is a living document which will be updated as the List develops.
The aim is that over time all District Courts will have the Young Adult List. Each court will adapt the List in ways that work for the court and the community it serves.