‘Entextualisation’ Across Institutional Contexts: The Impact of Discourse in School Reports on the Juvenile Justice Trajectories of Roma Youth

Abstract

The school context has been found to be highly influential in youth justice assessments of young people. Using Belgium as a case study and based on a study of court files and interviews with youth justice professionals, this article traces the significance of school-based information in decisions made on Roma youth. More specifically, it examines what these discourses communicate and how they shape young people’s correctional trajectories. The article argues that negative school experiences and discriminatory practices in education towards Roma are often reflected in youth justice professionals’ construction of the problems presented by Roma youth, albeit within a different discursive framing. The article draws on the notion of ‘entextualisation’ (extracting discourse from its original context and re-inserting it in another setting) and its consequences for young people from Roma backgrounds who come into conflict with the law.