Victims, Communities and Safety: the HMIP Framework
Cost: £120 | £60 YJLC Members
This workshop explores the complex and often overlapping identities of “offender” and “victim” within the youth justice system. Traditionally viewed as distinct categories, these labels can fail to reflect the lived realities of many children who enter the system—children who have frequently experienced crime, abuse, neglect, and other forms of harm themselves. Recognising this victim–perpetrator paradigm calls for a more sophisticated, trauma-informed systems approach—one that addresses offending behaviour while also understanding and responding to the unmet needs that stem from victimisation.
We will examine how coping and survival strategies adopted by harmed children—such as carrying knives for perceived safety—can increase the likelihood of criminalisation. The session will also consider the responsibilities of Youth Justice Services under the Victims’ Code, including keeping victims informed, offering safe and voluntary restorative justice, ensuring appropriately trained staff, and delivering personalised, well-recorded support—now subject to strengthened scrutiny through HM Inspectorate of Probation inspections. Despite clear entitlements, many children report never being told about their rights.
Join our expert-facilitated workshop to deepen your understanding, challenge traditional narratives, and explore practical ways to embed a more responsive, rights-based, and child-centred approach in your work.
Youth Justice Legal Centre (YJLC) is the centre of excellence on youth justice law in England and Wales. Our legal guides are endorsed by The Law Society of England and Wales and funded in part by the Ministry of Justice
You can learn more about becoming a YJLC member individually or for your organization here.