23 January 2004
Youth justice agencies have improved the way they deal with offenders, but more must be done to reintegrate juveniles into mainstream society.
That is the message that emerged from a joint review of the youth justice system undertaken by the Audit Commission and the National Audit Office. Both organisations published reports on the sector on January 21.
Youth justice 2004, the commission's report, is a follow-up to its influential 1996 study, Misspent youth, and assesses the impact of changes made across the sector since. It reveals that police made 268,500 'arrests' of ten to 17-year-olds during 2002/03.
Meanwhile, the NAO study, Youth offending, assesses the delivery of community and custodial sentences and the role of the Youth Justice Board.
Commission experts found that the reconviction rates of young offenders has fallen by 10% since reforms such as the use of intensive supervision and surveillance programmes (ISSPs) were introduced, and that the reconviction rate for those on bail has dropped from 33% in 1996 to 25%.
Commission chair James Strachan said improvements could also be attributed to the overhaul of the YJB, the creation of regional youth offending teams and the efforts of local agencies – such as the police and councils – to focus on youth crime.
'Here we have some good news: a new way of dealing with offenders that is working,' he said.
The commission also found that offenders are now sentenced in half the time that it took seven years ago – and praises more use of reparation orders.
The NAO study, meanwhile, praises the wider use of non-custodial sentences, claiming that detentions are costly and ineffective in cutting reoffending.
Around 7,000 out of 93,200 youngsters sentenced during 2002/03 were detained in custody, but detentions ate up two-thirds of the YJB's £394m budget.
The NAO report highlights pressures on the demand for custody places in London and Wales, which has led to a large number of transfers between centres. Experts say this disrupts rehabilitation.
However, the commission states: 'Young people who are most in need of help are often let down by agencies outside of the justice system, such as schools, housing and social services. Many young offenders receive little or no education, and schools need to take more responsibility for their behaviour.'
It went on to claim that early intervention to prevent offences could save taxpayers £100m a year.
PFjan2004
