When sentencing a juvenile offender, the correct approach is to assess whether immaturity was a significant contributing factor in the commission of the offence and, if so, to recognise that the criminality is less than for an adult. It is impermissible to identify an appropriate adult sentence and then discount for youth. The sentencing judge must undertake a qualitative assessment of the role of immaturity in the offending, not merely a quantitative reduction from an adult starting point.
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