A curriculum by any other name: The parallels between youth work and criminal justice

This article exposes the striking similarities between the debate within youth work of the imposition of a curriculum and that within criminal justice of the imposition of a ‘What Works’ agenda, notably in relation to young offenders in Scotland . At the heart of both debates lies a perceived shift in emphasis away from the needs of young people themselves, towards a rhetorical, evidence-based professionalism based on the directives of politicians.