Simone Deegan

Background

About Simone Deegan

I have extensive expertise in researching serious youth offending, the impact of juvenile detention/prison settings and intergenerational cumulative disadvantage – with the view to creating better lives and safer communities. My work prioritises the development of a youth engagement approach in relation to addressing the range of disconnections – from kin, culture, community, and country – that propel justice involved youth towards the adult corrections system. Trained as a solicitor in the justice system, my research explores the attitudes of children and young people towards crime, incarceration, family, work, education, and intervention programs. Only in this way can we hope to secure for youth who offend against the criminal law the care, correction and guidance necessary for their development into responsible and useful members of the community.