New scheme halves youth crime

Published on Friday 26 December 2008 18:16

A PIONEERING scheme has helped to cut youth crime by more than 50 per cent, it was revealed yesterday.

In an attempt to reduce the number of youngsters being reported to the Children's Panel in Fife, cases are now considered by a twice-weekly, multi-agency meeting involving police, social workers, education staff and other officials.

Since it began in May 2007, the Fife Police-led Youth Offender Management Scheme has seen the number of persistent young offenders fall by 53 per cent.

The authority deemed most appropriate to deal with each case is appointed and a referral is made within 48 hours.

It can sometimes take several months before a case is considered by the Children's Panel.

Typical referrals include warning letters to parents, an antisocial behaviour order warning letter, or a behaviour agreement imposing restrictions on the young person. The scheme's co-ordinator, Kellie Hannah, has been seconded to the Scottish Government to investigate whether it can be rolled out across the country.

She said the offences they came across most often were vandalism and breach of the peace, although they also dealt with serious violent crime.

"The scheme has had quite a dramatic effect on the amount of persistent offending we are seeing," she said.

"It is fantastic. It allows for information sharing between the agencies and is not a haphazard approach. If someone has committed an offence on the Friday, then action can be taken by the Monday.

"The earlier we get involved with a young person who has problems, the more effective our work is. The offence is fresh in the young person's mind and they are more likely to show remorse than if it is nine months down the line.

"The most important thing about the new system is the speed with which we can turn the referrals around."