Nicely furthering the debate on police and courts’ involvement, Jo Howard discusses the possibility of introducing the American Step Up model of intervention as a response to adolescent violence within the home in Australia. This paper, for the Australian Domestic and Family Violence Clearinghouse, acknowledges that the philosophical and practical differences between the two systems preclude a straightforward adoption, but there are seen to be strong benefits in a coordinated community approach that includes criminal justice options, offering a means to engage reluctant adolescents and holding them accountable for their violence.
For anyone interested, the September ADFV Clearinghouse e-newsletter is also here.
HOLES IN THE WALL 
Jo Howard and I were both in the U.S. as Churchill Fellows from our respective countries at the same time – both also looking at the Step Up model. Myself, from a Youth Justice background, and Jo, with her Domestic Violence background. It really seemed clear to us both (after spending an intensive time with Step Up programmes in Seattle, Washington and Toledo, Ohio, that this model was what both our countries needed. In summary, we concluded: Same Problem. Different Country. Same solution… Step Up!
Thanks Lynette.
How would you see the involvement of the courts and police here in the UK if such a programme were to be widely adopted?