Abstract:This paper examines recent developments in Scandinavian juvenile justice and discusses parallels, differences and lessons that might be learnt for juvenile justice in England and Wales.1 It will be argued that factors intrinsic to the respective models themselves may, in fact, be responsible for some of the quite different trends and developments to be found in each system. This would seem to be of considerable importance and significance in the light of current debates on (i) the sociology of punishment, and (ii) formal and informal models of justice, in addition to the sudden resurgence of interest in the ‘welfare v. justice’ debate, in the juvenile justice context, in England and Wa