Rigorous Review of Youth Justice Published

A review of the Youth Justice Board and its pioneering role in managing the youth justice system has been published today.

The review found that the creation of the Youth Justice Board (YJB) and Youth Offending Teams (YOTs) to establish the first formal structure for dealing with young offenders in 1998 was 'amongst the most significant [reforms] ever made to the criminal justice system' and was clear that the YJB had played an important part in this.

Some of the key successes include:

• a drop in the number of young people entering the criminal justice system for the first time and a fall in the rate of reoffending. There are 20% fewer young people than a year ago and the frequency of reoffending has fallen by nearly a quarter since 2000

• work to deliver the government's £100m Youth Crime Action Plan (YCAP) and its triple track approach of prevention, support and tough enforcement

• expanding the use of community based punishments including through the Youth Rehabilitation Order which combines rigorous punishment and interventions to help young offenders reform

• a more integrated multi-agency approach to managing young offenders through its 157 YOTs.

The government also accepted many of the review's recommendations for building on these improvements and strengthening efforts to cut youth crime in the future. In particular, the government will immediately begin work with the YJB to:

• provide clearer direction to frontline staff including a closer focus on monitoring and raising standards across the agencies who deal with young offenders on a daily basis

• ensure better value for public money, particularly given the downward trend in the numbers of young people entering the criminal justice system for the first time

• even more emphasis on strong partnership working between the YJB and central Government, including the Home Office having a greater involvement in the partnership working of the YJB

• and the YJB further emphasising and publicising its role to protect the public from youth crime.

Justice Secretary Jack Straw said:

'This rigorous review highlights the significant improvements made to youth justice over the last twelve years. Before 1998 there was no coherent system to manage young offenders and protect the public from youth crime. The old arrangements were severely criticised in a 1996 Audit Commission report. The establishment of the Youth Justice Board and Youth Offending Teams in local communities introduced profound and beneficial changes.

'Now instead of pulling in different directions the police, social services, schools and councils are working closely together to protect the public through prevention and, where that fails, punishment and reform.

'There has been a significant drop in the number of young people entering the criminal justice system for the first time, as well as a fall in the rate of re-offending. The conclusion of today's review is testament to the hard work of all those involved. 

'While this success is much welcomed there is no room for complacency, and we want to see still fewer victims and less reoffending. The review is clear that more attention must be focused on monitoring and raising standards in local areas, on holding local providers of youth justice to account and on sharing best practice more widely. We accept that and will immediately work the Youth Justice Board to ensure that happens. I’d like to thank Dame Sue Street for her thoughtful and thorough contribution to the review.'

Children's Secretary, Ed Balls said:

'The vast majority of young people are hard working, law abiding citizens but it is right that when things go wrong with a small minority we take action. 

'Action we have taken in the last 10 years has led to a significant decline in first time entrants to the criminal justice system and fewer young people reoffending. This report shows that this progress has been supported by the hard work of the YJB and I am very grateful for their continuing efforts to help young people back on track.

'But there is more to do, which is why this report sets out working recommendations for improving the YJB, part in the current economic climate. Improving the YJB's service will further boost the government’s ambition to help all young people achieve their potential.'

Dame Sue Street said:

'This has been a fascinating exercise, demonstrating that while some excellent work is being done, there is room for swift and dramatic improvement in the way the Youth Justice Board and the relevant department's conduct their responsibilities. With public protection at the heart of the system and a better grip on what works, including early intervention with high risk groups, much more could be achieved for less cost.

'I hope that the government will implement all the recommendations without delay, especially those I highlight in my foreword, so that the public, and young offenders, are given a fair chance to further reduce youth crime.'

Home Secretary Alan Johnson said:

'Nipping antisocial behaviour in the bud is key to tackling the root causes of youth crime and stopping our young people from falling foul of the criminal justice system.

'Our policies are working; we have seen both the number of young people entering the criminal justice system for the first time, and the number of young people who re-offend, fall significantly in recent years. A closer working relationship between the Home Office and the Youth Justice Board will help build on that success.'

In-depth proposals for putting into practice the review's recommendations will now be developed, with a detailed response to be published in the Summer.

Notes to editors

1. A review of the YJB was announced by the Justice Secretary and the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families on 16 September 2009. The review was co-chaired by Dame Sue Street and Frances Done, Chair of the YJB.

2. The YJB review, which ended last month, examined what worked well and how improvements could be made to the delivery of its crucial work.

3. View Safeguarding the Future: A Review of the Youth Justice Board's Governance and Operating Arrangements and the government's interim response, on the YJB website 

4. The government is committed to regularly reviewing the operation and performance of all of its Non Departmental Bodies to ensure the best outcomes and value for money. In the 12 years since the YJB was created, the landscape in which it operates has changed considerably. We wanted to ensure that the YJB can continue to support the delivery of the best outcomes for young people, their families and communities, as well as the wider public.

5. The YJB and multi-agency YOTs were created as part of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998.

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