This article presents an evidence-based analysis of the communicative influences on children’s engagement in the Youth Justice System of England and Wales. The multidisciplinary criminologist–linguist ‘YOT Talk’ project utilized Svalberg’s (2009) dimensions of engagement (cognitive, affective, social; augmented by behavioural) to explore the enablers of, and barriers to, children’s engagement with youth justice assessment processes. A tripartite mixed methodology of observation of assessment interviews, questionnaires with children in the Youth Justice System and youth justice practitioners, and focus groups with practitioners was implemented across three Youth Offending Teams in England and Wales. Analyses synergized methods from conversation analysis and corpus linguistics. Findings inform recommendations for refocusing youth justice assessment and staff training on facilitating children’s communicative engagement (that is, enhancing enablers and removing/minimizing barriers). These findings and recommendations challenge asymmetrical (adult-centric) power dynamics during assessment interviews and challenge perceptions of children’s communicative deficits as irreconcilable barriers to effective assessment.

本文提供了一个基于证据的分析，分析了交往对儿童参与英格兰和威尔士青年司法系统的影响。跨学科犯罪学家-语言学家“ YOT Talk”项目利用了斯瓦尔贝格（2009）的参与维度（认知，情感，社会；通过行为增强），探索了儿童参与青年司法评估程序的推动力和障碍。在英格兰和威尔士的三个青少年犯罪小组中，采用了三方混合的方法来观察评估访谈，与青少年司法系统中的儿童和青少年司法从业人员进行问卷调查以及与从业人员进行焦点小组讨论。从对话分析和语料库语言学分析协同方法。调查结果为重新分配青年司法评估和工作人员培训提供了便利，以促进儿童的交流参与（即增强能力和消除/减少障碍）。这些发现和建议挑战了评估访谈中的不对称（以成人为中心）的动力动态，并挑战了儿童对沟通能力不足的看法，认为这是有效评估不可克服的障碍。