Social Impact Measurement and Youth Justice

Abstract

This chapter will present a new and innovative approach to measuring the social impact of Secure Training Centres (STCs) on young people. It begins with an exploration of Weber’s (Economy and Society: An Outline of Interpretative Sociology. Berkeley, CA: California University Press, 1978) work on power, before then exploring social impact measurement in relation to issues of definition, best practice frameworks for engaging in social impact measurement and types of data that can be gathered. The chapter then goes on to explore criminological theory (specifically ICAP theory combined desistance theory) and relate these to the SIM models presented, in order to present a case for an integrated outcomes-based focus on youth justice interventions in STCs. Throughout the chapter, the empowerment of young people forms the central frame of analysis, as placing them at the centre of any SIM framework remains critical.