Citizenship, Marginalisation and Youth Offending: Acceptance, Responsibility and Resettlement

Abstract

Despite a fall in recorded crime in the UK in recent years, youth offending continues to present itself as a social problem in many communities and has become an issue of serious concern for practitioners, politicians, and policymakers alike. Where educational programmes have been utilised to address recidivism, a focus on developing aspects of personally responsible citizenship has dominated. This article presents the findings of one such programme, which was designed to deliver a residential care and support package to young males (aged 16–18) with the aim of reducing their likelihood of re-offending. More specifically, the article provides insight into some of the key elements of the ‘journey to citizenship’ that these young men undertook highlighting how the initiation of interpersonal relationships around notions of acceptance and recognition, provided the foundations upon which personally responsible citizenship might be constructed.