Are individuals from the general public permitted to sit in on Youth Courts hearings?

Youth Courts are a special type of court that deals with cases involving young people, typically those under the age of 18. The key principle behind these courts is to protect the privacy and well-being of the young defendants. Think of it like this: when a young person makes a mistake, the aim is to help them learn and rehabilitate, not to publicly shame them. Allowing the general public into these hearings could be detrimental to the young person's future prospects and could also expose sensitive personal information. Therefore, Youth Court hearings are not open to the public. Only certain individuals are allowed to attend, such as the defendant, their family, legal representatives, and court officials. This ensures that the focus remains on rehabilitation and protecting the young person's identity, which is why the statement that the general public is permitted to attend is false.