A major initiative of the British New Labour government is parenting programs designed to reduce youth crime. Parenting programs are located within a paradigm that views parents as both part of the problem and part of the solution to youth crime. In the past when parents of wayward youth were considered inadequate in their duties, the child was removed from their custody. This approach was met with many deleterious outcomes for youth, including an increase in offending behavior. The history of youth justice in the United Kingdom from the 1860’s through the 1990’s is explicated as the authors illustrate the way in which changes over time moved the youth justice system away from a welfare approach and toward a justice approach for youth crime. The responsibility of parents for their children’s behavior has been slowly underscored over the years of legal evolution as illustrated in a 1990 White Paper that identified the degree of parental responsibility for children at different ages. By 1999, 42 pilot parenting projects were underway in an effort to reform poor parenting practices and keep wayward youth both within their own families and away from criminal activity. A multidisciplinary approach to parenting assistance was adopted in response to the multi-problematic family situations that many families in need face. Such programs that adopt multi-systematic programs, or an ecological approach, have shown promise in reducing recidivism among young offenders. The problem inherent in parenting programs, however, is that they take place within a context of punishment and control and thus may be viewed in a poor light by parents who must endure the label of poor parent at the hands of the government. In order to expand the uses and benefits of parenting programs, they must be offered within a context of support and guidance. References