Youth Justice System and its Links to Multi-Agency Working Practices - Term Paper Example

 Outline Introduction Youth Justice System Strength Youth Justice Board Youth Offending Team Youth Courts Custody Weaknesses Opportunities Threat Conclusion Youth Justice System and its Links to Multi-Agency Working Practices Introduction Youth justice system involves children and young people aged ten to seventeen in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, eight years old in Scotland and fourteen in Italy who break the law. They are sometimes referred to as juvenile offenders. Since young person are yet to discover their role and responsibility within their self and in the community dealing with their crime committed are much different from the adult criminals. The youth justice system are the one handling young people who committed crime and help young people to get out into danger of getting involved in it. This essay will present the strength, weaknesses, opportunity and threat (SWOT) analysis of the system. The essay will include the link of the system to multi agency working practices. The youth justice system main aim is “the prevention of offending by children and young people.” The youth justice system believes that one of the best and most cost-effective ways to reduce youth crime is to prevent young people from committing it. They should be able to identify the cause of such act which maybe because of lack education, poor family relationships, having family members or peers who have offended, and misuse of substance. At the end of the essay we will be able to examine the multi-agency approaches to working in a political social and policy context. The key drivers of changes in public service will be examined. We will be able to analyse the various barriers to multi agency partnerships. The essay will be able us to understand the role of the organization within a multi agency context. And at the end we will understand the importance of partnership in a multi agency approach to achieve justice sector goals. Youth Justice System The youth justice system in England Wales includes the process and procedure used in prosecuting, convicting and punishing persons under 18 years of age who commit criminal acts. The youth justice system are being govern by the youth justice board who ensure that the custody of the young offender is safe, secure, and addresses the causes of their offending behaviour. Strength The youth justice system is effective in its purpose to treat the young offenders on the way that they should be treated. This is one of the strength that the justice system had. The system follows a process in handling situations on young offenders. When a young person commits a first or second minor offense a system of reprimands and final warning can be given by the police officer. A reprimand is a verbal warning given by police officer to young person who admits that they are guilty of a minor first offence. Another factor that makes the youth justice system has an advantage over other organization is their approach. The cases are dealt accordingly without delay giving satisfaction to the victims. At the same time the young people are dealt with fairly regardless of race, gender, religion, sexual orientation or any disability. Since the system is focusing on the prevention the reduction of crime is effective as compared from the past. The statistics on young offenders has lowered showing the effectivity of having an aim in focusing on the cause rather than treating the effect. In order to achieve justice sector goals the youth justice system shows the importance of partnerships in a multi agency approach. cause rather than treating the effect. One strength making the youth justice system exemptional among the others is that the system is working with multi-agency organizations. Among them are the Youth Justice Board for England and Wales (YJB), Youth Offending Teams (YOTs), Police and the Crown Prosecution Service, the court and secure state for children and young people. The above agencies are working together to administer justice and help every young person involved with the system to live a life free from crime and anti-social behaviour. Youth Justice Board (YJB) The YJB was created by the Crime and Disorder Act 1998, and oversees the youth justice system for England and Wales. The board reports directly to the Home Secretary through the Youth Justice and Children Unit. The responsibility of the board includes monitoring the performance of the youth justice system. Having the board to oversee the system makes it more perfect and effective. The board gives advice to Home secretary on the operation of and standards for the youth justice system. The board is responsible in purchasing places for, and placing children and young people remanded or sentenced to custody. Identifying and promoting effective practice as well as making grants to local authorities or other bodies to support the development of effective practice are included in the list of responsibilities of the board. To ensure that the services and law applies to the young offenders are up to date; the board conducts research and published information sheet. Since the board are not directly working with young people or sentence them to custody the board set performance indicators for Youth Offending Team (YOT). Youth Offending Teams (YOTs) The Youth Offending Teams includes the police officers, the probation service, social services and people from other organizations. Their function is to deal with young offenders in the community, and help them stop committing crimes. The Crime and Disorder Act 1998 outlines the role of YOT as being “to co-ordinate the provision of youth justice services” in their local authority areas. YOT is a multi-agency team with the intention of reducing the risk of young people offending and re-offending, and to provide counsel and rehabilitation to those who do offend. The YOT are responsible in organizing meetings between offenders and victims to encourage apologies and arrangements. They supervise the youth offenders and help them not to commit another crime again. Below is the schematic diagram of the process being followed by YOT. One advantage having YOT in the justice system is the assurance that the youth offenders are being treated fairly. The assessment is done by the team using the framework called Asset; it identifies suitable programmes to address the needs of the young person, with the intention of preventing further offending, and helps to inform the pre-sentence report. The YOT is also responsible for providing reports such as pre-sentence reports, specific sentence reports, and referral order reports. The Police and the Crown Prosecution Service The police play an important role in a young person’s entry into the youth justice system. The police can decide on the following matters: to take no further action to issue a Fixed Penalty Notice or issue a formal reprimand or final warning. issue a formal Reprimand or Final Warning issue a Penalty Notice for Disorder YOUTH JUSTICE SYSTEM Action Following Offence Bail refused or approved, bail support and/or possible conditions Source: wikipedia.org and yjb.com refer him or her for prosecution in court. Before going to court, many criminal charges will be referred by the police to the Crown Prosecution Service. there is sufficient evidence to provide a realistic prospect of conviction prosecution is in the public interest. If these requirements are met, a prosecution will proceed to court. Courts Court proceeding involving young people are dealt with youth courts based on the model of adult magistrates court. However the young people are being dealt differently from the adult and in less formal way. The reports of the proceedings do not reveal the name or address of the young person and the general public are not allowed to view the proceedings. A youth court cannot impose a custodial sentence of longer than 24 moths. If the court feels that it is justifiable to have a longer sentence, the case is sent to the Crown Court which has the power of imposing longer sentence. Longer sentences are being imposed to younger people who committed crime similar to that of the adult. The Crown Court is presided over by judges, and trials are by jury: the jury determines guilt, and the judge passes sentence. However the young people’s identity remains anonymous in the reports as ordered by the court. Custody Upon sentencing to custody the young person’s accommodation are being handled by the Placement Team at the YJB. The team chooses the suitable location the meets the needs of the young person. The secure estate for children and young people is made up of three kinds of establishment: • secure training centres (STCs) • secure children's homes • young offender institutions (YOIs). The Youth Justice Board also monitors the performance of the secure estate against performance indicators set in its annual corporate plan. This holds the contracts and service level agreements with the organizations which run the various establishments. Weaknesses Like any other organization youth justice system has its weaknesses that require improvement and changes to resolve the problems. Among its weaknesses is that the system does not have a clear and coherent youth justice philosophy. It has its aim but the philosophy of the system is not clearly identified or noted. The incarceration is overused. This causes committing much more offences. The courts are over used for minor cases that can be dealt with better outside the courts. The result of sentencing decisions has resulted in disparities and unfairness in youth sentencing. Read More