Juvenile justice in Ireland is in crisis. Kilkelly draws a picture of the juvenile offender in Ireland, aiming to: highlight the circumstances of offending children and their families, show the type and number of offences committed, identify and explore trends in juvenile offending, and consider the complexity of problems that such children face. The book will set out a comprehensive and critical analysis of the legislative and policy framework currently governing the operation of the juvenile justice system. This will include evaluating the continued use of the Children Act, 1908 and examining the extent to which the Children Act, 2001 has been implemented. It will critically evaluate the response of the legal system to juvenile offending in the light of the modern legislative framework and international best practice. In this context, the book will adopt a critical approach to the operation of the juvenile justice system looking at the following elements: the Garda Diversion Scheme;