What happens when a young person is arrested?
They’ll go to court the same day, if there’s time, or next morning. If they’re arrested on a Saturday, they’ll appear in court on Monday morning. The Youth Court doesn’t sit every day (see the Youth Court contact list) so sometimes young people have to appear in the District Court first. But it will work like a Youth Court hearing, and the public won’t be allowed in. Their case will be adjourned (put off) until the next Youth Court sitting, and the District Court judge will decide if the person should be allowed bail. If the person doesn’t turn up to court on the right day, the police will ask the judge for a warrant to arrest them.
