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New
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Year 10

How does the law apply to young people?

I can describe how the law applies to young people and evaluate its effectiveness.

icon-background-square
New
New
Year 10

How does the law apply to young people?

I can describe how the law applies to young people and evaluate its effectiveness.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. The justice system does not treat young people the same as adults.
  2. In the justice system, police interact with young offenders but also have broader responsibilities for all young people.
  3. All citizens, including young people, have the right to share their opinions on laws and issues and push for change.
  4. There are various arguments for and against the effectiveness of the legal system.

Keywords

  • Justice - fairness as a result of the application of a law, usually by a judge, in society

  • Law - rules, usually made by Parliament, that are used to order the way in which a society behaves

  • Campaign - actions or events organised by an individual or a group of people to achieve an aim

Common misconception

Young people are treated the same as adults in the justice system.

Young people are treated differently in the justice system. Youth courts focus on rehabilitation with alternative sentences to prison, like community service or rehabilitation orders, to help young people learn from mistakes and avoid re-offending.

Encourage pupils to consider both sides of the argument when discussing the effectiveness of the legal system. Use real-life examples, such as youth court cases, to highlight how the system treats young people differently and why those differences matter.
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Equipment

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Content guidance

  • Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
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Supervision

Adult supervision recommended

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Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on
Open Government Licence version 3.0
except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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6 Questions

Q1.
Which of the following is not one of the five purposes of sentencing?
to punish
to reform
Correct answer: to satisfy the public
to protect the public
Q2.
What age range does the legal system classify a young person as?
0 - 18
12 - 18
Correct answer: 10 - 17
Q3.
True or False? The justice system is the same across all the states of the UK.
Correct answer: False
True
Q4.
Fill in the gap: One type of sentence is a , where an offender is required to pay a certain amount of money as a punishment.
Correct Answer: fine
Q5.
Match the sentence type with its description.
Correct Answer:discharge,offender is let off with no punishment as long as they don't reoffend
tick

offender is let off with no punishment as long as they don't reoffend

Correct Answer:custodial sentence,offender is required to serve time in prison
tick

offender is required to serve time in prison

Correct Answer:community sentence,offender is required to do unpaid work or attend rehabilitation
tick

offender is required to do unpaid work or attend rehabilitation

Q6.
Which of the following are true about how judges and magistrates decide sentences?
judges and magistrates are free to decide any sentence they want
judges and magistrates decide sentences based on their personal opinions
Correct answer: judges and magistrates must follow guidelines set by the Sentencing Council
Correct answer: Parliament sets laws about maximum sentences for crimes

6 Questions

Q1.
Match the word to the correct definition.
Correct Answer:justice ,fairness as a result of the application of a law, usually by a judge
tick

fairness as a result of the application of a law, usually by a judge

Correct Answer:law ,rules, usually made by Parliament, to order society
tick

rules, usually made by Parliament, to order society

Correct Answer:campaign , actions or events organised by individuals to achieve an aim
tick

actions or events organised by individuals to achieve an aim

Q2.
What is the main focus of youth courts in the justice system?
to punish young people the same way as adults
Correct answer: to help young people learn from their mistakes and avoid re-offending
to make sure young people go to prison
to give young people more rights than adults
Q3.
Fill in the gap: Young people have the right to have an adult with them when they are questioned by the police.
Correct Answer: appropriate, trusted
Q4.
Do young people get treated the same as adults in the justice system?
yes
Correct answer: no
Q5.
Which of the following is a responsibility of the police in relation to young people?
to only arrest young people for serious crimes
Correct answer: to protect all young people, not just offenders
to treat young people the same as adults
to make laws for young people
Q6.
Fill in the gap: Young people have the right to for changes in laws or issues they care about.
Correct Answer: campaign