Alternative punishment for juvenile offenders in Malaysia and Australia / Mohd Hafizuddin Mohd Idris ... [et al.]

The rise in juvenile rates in recent history has become a national concern. The constant change in the economic conditions are forcing parents to leave their children unattended and without supervision making more room for error. Most other countries have amended their provisions
regarding juvenile punishment to accommodate current needs and socio-economic changes. Malaysia heavily relies on the Child Act 2001 for juvenile punishment. However, the steady increase in the rate of juvenile illustrate that the forms of punishment currently available are no longer serving its function, especially in terms of deterring and rehabilitating youth offenders. This research focuses on the forms and benefits of alternative punishment adopted by other
countries, with a specific focus on Australia. It is hoped that the dissemination of the information on the methods of alternative punishment in other countries will aid the judges in Malaysia to further exercise their judicial discretion in meting out punishment for juvenile offenders. The final outcome from this research is that the laws in Malaysia in terms of juvenile punishment are sufficient. However, support from the Federal Government in terms of support, financially and through provision of adequate facilities and infrastructures, is necessitated to ensure the efficiency of the incorporation of alternative juvenile punishment in the juvenile justice system in Malaysia.