Dr Faith Gordon1
1Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
This paper will draw on two research studies which critically explored the policies, practices and impact of pre-charge ‘naming and shaming’ in the digital age of children and young people in Ireland, the United Kingdom and Australia. The paper will commence by exploring the theory of ‘shaming’ and will draw on emerging literature on the impact of this in the digital age. It uniquely contributes to the debate by exploring the consequences of pre-charge identification on children and young people. The case studies will demonstrate the positive benefits of knowledge exchange between academics, lawyers, advocates, NGO policy officers, youth workers and young people in developing an evidence base, in advocacy and in calling for specific policy and legislative change. The paper will outline the significance of ‘praxis’, which is a form of ‘academic activism’ and takes ‘political responsibility’, to give a voice to young people who are marginalised but also ensure that they speak out about injustices in order to bring about change. This paper will demonstrate how the researcher has challenged policing practices, the ethics and practices of the mainstream media and social media companies. The paper will conclude by outlining changes and reforms that have been made, and what still needs to take place in order for children’s and young people’s rights to be fully realised and protected.
Biography:
Dr. Faith Gordon is a Lecturer in Criminology at Monash University. Faith established and is the Director of the Interdisciplinary International Youth Justice Network. She has expertise and research experience in youth justice; media representations; post-conflict and transitioning societies; children’s rights; older victims; media regulation and privacy law. Faith was lead researcher on the ESRC Knowledge Exchange Project: Identifying and Challenging the Negative Media Representation of Children and Young People in Northern Ireland and a research project on Older Victims of Crime and Crime Clearance Rates, funded by the Commissioner for Older People in Northern Ireland. Her research and recommendations have been referred to by the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child and in legal submissions for several Judicial Review cases in Northern Ireland.