Nessa Lynch is an Associate Professor at the Faculty of Law, Te Herenga Waka - Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand. Her primary research interest is the criminal law and the criminal justice system as it applies to children and young persons. She has published books, chapters and journal articles on issues in youth justice; particularly around principled approaches to children and youth who commit very serious offences such as murder. She has a strong interest in the academic - policy interface and is regularly called on to advise government.

Yannick van den Brink is an Associate Professor of Criminal Law and Criminal Procedure at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, the Netherlands, and a Rubicon Research Fellow at the University of Cambridge, Institute of Criminology, United Kingdom. He publishes and teaches widely on themes related to youth justice, criminal justice, criminology, children's rights and human rights. In addition to his academic work, Van den Brink serves as a deputy judge in the Youth Court of the District Court of The Hague.

Louise Forde is a Lecturer in Law at Brunel University London. Her primary research interests lie in the area of children's rights law and youth justice. She has published journal articles and book chapters on a variety of issues relating to youth justice, and has authored reports for bodies such as Save the Children, the Irish Penal Reform Trust and the Policing Authority (Ireland). She has worked with government and advocacy groups to promote the realisation of children's rights in youth justice systems. She is a member of the editorial board of Youth Justice: An International Journal.

This book explores the principles, practice and challenges in determining justice system responses to serious offending by children globally. Divided into four parts, the book provides a balance of theoretical and empirical insights.

1. Introduction

Nessa Lynch, Yannick van den Brink, Louise Forde

PART I: PRINCIPLES

2. International Children's Rights Principles and Responses to Serious Offending by Children

Recent developments, topical issues and global challenges

Ursula Kilkelly, Ton Liefaard

3. Punishing Children: The Application of Sentencing Theory and Principles to Children Who Offend

Ingun Fornes

PART II: EVIDENCE

4. Profiles of Children Who Commit Serious Offences

Jerome Reil, Ian Lambie

5. A Developmental Perspective on Children Who Commit Serious Violent Offences: From Science to Standards

Eva Schmidt, Ann Skelton

6. Effective Sentences for Children Who Commit Serious Offences - What Does the Evidence Tell Us?

Jessica Asscher, Hanneke Creemers

7. Disparities in Responses to Children Who Commit Serious Offences: What Does the Evidence Tell Us?

Yannick van den Brink, Louise Forde, Patricia Burghout, Daphne Beljaars

PART III: GLOBAL PRACTICE

8. Australia & New Zealand - Penal Responses to Children Who Commit Homicide: A View From the Southern Hemisphere

Faith Gordon, Nessa Lynch

9. Brazil - Children Who Commit Serious Crimes in Brazil: An Overview of the Juvenile Justice System's Response

Eduardo Rezende Melo

10. China - China's Responses to Minors Who Commit Serious Crimes

Ting He, Lida Wang

11. Ghana - Indigenous Legal Principles and Child Rights: Reflections on Responses to Serious Offending by Children in Ghana

Emmanuel A. Sowatey and Mabel Ama Pinkrah

12. India - "Defeating the Ends of Juvenile Justice?": An Exploration of the Juvenile Justice Law in India and its Implications for Children Who Commit Serious Offences

Bharti Ali, Enakshi Ganguly

13. Iran - Criminal Responses to Serious Violent Crimes in Child Justice System in Iran

Maryam Abachi

14. Northwestern Europe - Responses to Serious Offending by Children in Northwestern Europe

Eva Huls, Stephanie Rap, Yannick van den Brink

15. South Africa - Responding to Children Who Commit Serious Offences: The South African Approach

Stephan Terblanche

16. United States - Responses to Children Who Commit Serious Offending in the United States

Marsha Levick, Susan Vivien Mangold,

PART IV: CONCLUSION

17. Towards Principled and Evidence-Based Practices - Advancing the Agenda

Louise Forde, Yannick van den Brink, Nessa Lynch