NIAO: Managing children who offend: follow up review
This follow up report highlights that whilst progress has been made by the Department of Justice and the Youth Justice Agency since the original report in 2017, both should continue to develop management systems for measuring and reporting the impact of work with children and improve understanding of costs throughout the youth justice system. The report demonstrates that the NI Youth Justice System is increasingly similar to its English counterpart.
Details
In Northern Ireland children aged 10 to 17 may be held criminally responsible for their actions. The youth justice system is in the early stages of a major reform guided by the recommendations made in a scoping paper prepared for the then Minister of Justice in 2016. In 2017 the Northern Ireland Audit Office published their report “Managing Children Who Offend” which focused on the responsibilities of the Department of Justice and the Youth Justice Agency and identified a lack of specific strategy to co-ordinate the youth justice system, a need for better measuring performance and cost effectiveness of services. In early 2019 the Department of Justice and the Youth Justice Agency agreed a new strategic plan to implement change, Transitioning Youth Justice.
The report is a follow-up to the 2017 report and assesses the progress made by the Department of Justice and the Youth Justice Agency.
The key findings of the report are summarised below:
- New Approaches: The youth justice system has begun to work with children in new ways that are more aligned with the recommendations of the 2016 scoping study. New approaches for dealing with low-level and first time offences have been adopted through a number of diversionary disposal methods to provide quicker resolution and early identification of cases and individuals that present a high risk of falling into a cycle of repeat offending.
- Reoffending: Whilst there was a decrease in the volume of children being dealt with in the youth justice system, reoffending rates have remained stable and those that do reoffend tend to so relatively quickly after exiting the youth justice system. A child in a cycle of repeat offending can experience a negative impact on their long-term life outcomes, health, wellbeing and welfare. It is important that such children exit the youth justice system as quickly as possible and allows for substantive rehabilitative work to commence sooner. Delays in the completion of a prosecution or diversionary disposal process mean that a child can potentially commit further offences prior to the original offence being dealt with.
- Care Needs: Children in custody (who are held at the Woodlands Juvenile Justice Centre) often have the most significant care needs and face the most adversity in their lives. The level of care provided to these children has been recognised as being of a consistently high standard.
Commentary
The NI Department of Justice and the Youth Justice Agency have shown development since the 2017 report. There is still work to be done to improve systems for measuring and reporting the impact of work with children and gain a better understanding of costs throughout the youth justice system.
The report highlights that delays within the youth justice system are detrimental to the children involved and it is therefore crucial that cases are dealt with appropriately and as quickly as possible to assist the child and to avoid a trend of reoffending.
It is extremely positive that it is acknowledged that children in custody often have the most significant care needs and the level of care and support provided to children in the Woodlands Juvenile Justice Centre has been recognised as consistently high.
Whilst there is still room for improvement for the youth justice system in Northern Ireland, positive progress has been made. In comparison to the inspection of youth offending services in England and Wales by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Probation that showed a number of regional services inspected in England and Wales fell below the required standards, it seems that, according to the National Audit Office, a better level of care and support is provided to children in custody in Northern Ireland. The implementation of the recommendations made in the 2017 report has continued to bring the Northern Irish youth justice system in line with the system in place in England and Wales. Particular areas of alignment with England and Wales include an increased focus on diversionary disposal methods and recognition of the special care and support needs of children in custody.
Written by
Victoria Morton, Associate, Paul Hastings (Europe) LLP