Preventing Offending
Prevention is better than cure
One of the most effective ways to reduce crime is to prevent young people from getting into trouble in the first place.
The Youth Justice Agency works to prevent offending by children. Much of this work is done within the local community with a range of partners, for example, Social Services, voluntary organisations, etc., to provide support to young people who may be at risk of offending, and to their families.
A range of services are provided, tailored to the individual needs of young people and their families. These address the reasons behind the young person's problem behaviour such as low achievement in school, family difficulties, substance misuse, etc. Services are often delivered through a range of early intervention and diversionary programmes which aim to engage young people’s interests and, by enhancing their knowledge, life-skills and experience, contribute to giving young people the best chances of leading a crime-free life.
