News
Youth Justice Agency helps tackle youth crime in Derry (25/06/2007)
The Youth Justice Agency today held an awareness raising event to highlight the work of both its Community Services and Youth Conference Service, which together are delivering a joined-up approach to tackling youth crime in the Derry area.Local community-based organisations and agencies working with young people who commit offences, their families, and the victims of youth crime attended the event.
Presentations were given by the Police Service of Northern Ireland, and representatives from both the Youth Justice Agency’s Community Services and Youth Conference Service.
This was followed by an open forum discussion where all attendees were given the opportunity to take part in a debate on a wide-range of issues relating to youth crime.
“The purpose of the event was to strengthen existing relationships with a broad spectrum of our key partners and raise awareness of the role and remit of the Youth Justice Agency within both the local community and across Northern Ireland.
“It was also an opportunity for all of the local groups working within the sector to come together and discuss the main issues relating to youth justice provision in Derry,” said Peter Quinn, Project Manager, Youth Justice Agency, Community Services, Foyle.
Part of a network of 22 child related services operating across Northern Ireland Community Services is responsible for the delivery of effective locally based intervention services targeted at young people in conflict with the law.
Working in partnership with other support agencies, Community Services focuses on helping the young person, their family and the local community by working with the children to prevent offending behaviour. It also provides support services for vulnerable young people to help divert them away from potential offending behaviour.
Mary Jo McAllister, Assistant Director, Youth Justice Agency, Youth Conference Service, who helped co-ordinate the event alongside Peter Quinn, said:
“In organising this event we wanted to raise awareness of the key support services that the Youth Justice Agency provides in helping to reduce youth crime.
“It also acted as a valuable networking opportunity for all of the partner agencies, organisations and voluntary groups, helping to create stronger working relationships and an increased sharing of best practice techniques,” she continued.
Facilitating face-to-face meetings between the victims of youth crime and young offenders all Youth Conferences must include an appropriate adult to support the young person as well as a trained police officer or 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 about the impact of the crime and make suggestions as to what the offender can do to make reparation for the harm caused.
If a victim does not wish to attend a Youth Conference, 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.
The Youth Conference Service and Youth Justice Community Services are both directorates of the Youth Justice Agency, which also encompasses the Woodlands Juvenile Justice Centre for Northern Ireland.
The Agency aims to protect the public by preventing offending and re-offending by children, 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 Foyle provides services to the Derry 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 staff 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
- 5 co-ordinators will facilitate these meetings in the Derry Area.
- If any organisation wants additional local presentations from Youth Conference Services, they can contact the Youth Conference Service in Derry, based at 2nd Floor Embassy Building, 3 Strand Road, Derry, BT48 7BA by calling Tel: 028 7127 8070 or email: info@yjani.gov.uk
- To date within the Derry area, there have been 55 Court referrals and 49 Public Prosecution Service referrals to the Youth Conference Service.
Media Contact
John McCandless
AndersonSprattGroup
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E: jmccandless@andersonspratt.com
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