Youth Diversion Scheme
One of the aims of the Youth Diversion Scheme (YDS) is to discourage young people from getting involved in crime in the first place. This means that YDS officers will monitor nuisance behaviour and take action to make sure it doesn’t go any further. However if a young person has committed a crime the police will take into account a number of factors, including the seriousness of the offence, whether or not there is an admission of guilt, previous offending history, etc., in deciding how to deal with it. There are three possible outcomes:
Informed Warning
A young person may receive an informed warning for offences that are considered to be less serious because of the circumstances. It will be delivered by a trained police officer in the presence of the parent(s)/guardian(s) of the young person. An informed warning is not a conviction, and will only remain on a criminal record for 12 months, unless further offending takes place.
Restorative Caution
A young person may receive a restorative caution for more serious offences, which will be delivered by a trained facilitator who can be a police officer, a representative from a partner agency, or a community representative. It provides an opportunity for the young person who has offended to gain a greater understanding of the impact of their behaviour and its consequences, and to help them take responsibility for their actions through meeting their actual victim. The process provides an opportunity for the victims of crime to be involved in how their case is dealt with and will be recorded for 2½ years on a criminal record, unless further offending takes place. It is not a conviction.
Referral for Prosecution
A young person may be referred for prosecution for offences which are considered very serious and/or where you deny the offence, or have 2 or more recorded 'disposals' within the system. The Public Prosecution Service will consider each case and decide whether to:
- refer back to the police for further investigation;
- refer for diversionary conference;
- prosecute; or
- close the case without prosecution.
In the case of young people who have offended, prosecution will be the exception rather than the rule as the majority of cases will be dealt with through a diversionary approach.
