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Youth Justice Agency launches a joined-up approach to tackling youth crime in Larne (13/02/2007)
The Youth Justice Agency today celebrated the launch of two services which together deliver a joined-up approach to tackling youth crime in the Larne area. The first was the official opening of its Youth Justice Community Services premises in Larne.Part of a network of 24 other child related services operating acrossNorthern Ireland, Community Services is responsible for the delivery of effective locally based intervention services targeted at young people in conflict with the law.
Working with other support agencies within the region, Community Services focuses on helping the child, their family and the local communities from which they come from, by engaging directly with the children to prevent offending behaviour and provide services to vulnerable young people.
Speaking at the official opening Harry Bradley, Project Manager, Youth Justice Community Services, Larne said:
“The project in Larne has been in the process of developing over the last 18 months providing support services to around forty young people and their families. Our new premises will consolidate our ability to deliver effective intervention initiatives and enhance existing services for young people in the Larne area. The project continues to participate and contribute to the work of Larne Community Safety Partnership and Larne Locality Group of Children Services Planning.”
At the event the Youth Justice Agency also launched the extension of its Youth Conference Service throughout the local area. From December 2006, the Youth Courts and the Public Prosecution Service in the Larne area have been empowered to make referrals to the Youth Conference Service as a means of disposal.
The Youth Conference Service facilitates conference meetings between the victims of crime and young offenders and all conferences must include an appropriate adult to support the young person as well as a trained police officer who is usually the Youth Diversion Officer. The Conference can also include community, business or public sector representatives depending on the nature of the offence and its wider impact.
In the conference, the victim has an opportunity to tell the offender face-to-face about the impact of the crime on them and make suggestions as to what the offender could do to repair the harm caused and make amends. However,if a victim does not wish to attend face- to-face, there is a range of ways that they can participate in the process.
An audio or video or telephone link can be set up from their home or if they want to have a supporter attend with them, this can be arranged via Victim Support. In addition, the Larne premises has a secure two-way mirror system which enables a victim to see, hear and contribute to the process but not have to be physically present in the same room as the offender.
The conference will also explore the reasons why the young person committed the offence and agree what actions they can take to make amends and address their offending behaviour. These actions will then form part of the Court Order or the Youth Conference Plan and the young person will be supported and monitored to ensure every agreed action is completed.
Commenting on the launch of the Service, Andrew MacQuarrie, Acting Assistant Director, Youth Conference Service said: “We are keen to increase participation by members of the local community who are willing to share their views on how crime affects the area and can offer effective solutions to help prevent it.
“Already we have held an awareness-raising programme to educate the Police in the Larne area and make them aware of the Youth Conference Service. We plan to hold similar events with the Community Safety and District Policing Partnerships,” he continued.
The Youth Conference Service and Youth Justice Community Services are both directorates of the Youth Justice Agency, which also encompasses the Juvenile Justice Centre for Northern Ireland.
The Agency aims to protect the public by preventing offending and re-offending by children and encouraging young people to recognise the effects of their behaviour and take responsibility for their actions. It has a vision of having the lowest youth offending rates in the European Union by 2011.
- ENDS
Notes to Editor:
Community Services Information
- The Youth Justice Community Services Larne provides services to the Larne region, it endeavours to provide a multi-model, relationship based systemic service aimed at preventing offending. It uses child centred, family focused and community based interventions to empower the Youth Justice Agency’s clients to take responsibility for their actions and make informed decisions regarding their future.
- Programmes of work are tailored to meet the individual needs, incorporating Individual and family work, educational support and accreditation, group work and diversionary activities and provide links to other support services.
- Within the project staffendeavour to work with children using a range of different mediums, thus addressing their needs at an appropriate level.
- The work is not completed in isolation but is a combined effort by statutory and voluntary agencies to provide the best service. The Youth Justice Agency Community Services directorate works in partnership with these agencies effectively to fulfil its obligations to the identified needs of the children within their own communities.
Youth Conference Services Information
- 4 co-ordinators will facilitate these meetings in the Larne Area.
- If any organisation wants additional local presentations from Youth Conference Services, they can contact the Youth Conference Service North East, based at 6-8 Broadway Avenue in Ballymena by calling 028 25639800 or emailromayne.smyth@yjani.gov.uk
- To date within the Larne area, there have been three Court referrals for Youth Conference and two successfully facilitated conferences.
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