Youth Justice Plan progress

On 27 March, Cumbria County Council will be asked to approve the Youth Justice Plan for submission to the National Youth Justice Board. The Plan includes a summary of performance, the county's prevention strategy for youth crime and details the future aims and ambitions of Cumbria's Youth Offending Team. 

County Councillor John Mallinson, Cabinet spokesman for Care and Social Services says, 

"I am pleased to recommend the Youth Justice Plan to Council for approval. Last year's plan was commended by the Youth Justice Board and the Youth Offending Team has continued to develop their work with young people and their families, promoting social inclusion, reducing re-offending and increasing crime prevention work. 

The Youth Offending Team has been operational for almost three years and in that time has met and exceeded many Government targets. Two years ago young offenders in Cumbria taking their first steps into a potential life of crime, found their offending behaviour 'nipped in the bud' by ground-breaking new community sentences. Since then further developments have seen local people and victims of crime become involved. Volunteers, of all ages and from all social backgrounds were recruited and specially trained to sit on youth offender panels throughout Cumbria. 

Young people need to understand that whenever a crime is committed, there are consequences. In many cases a person suffers and there is a very real effect on people in the wider community. This community involvement approach has been very successful." 

The Youth Justice Plan details a range of activities and interventions, which together are proving to be effective in tackling youth crime. Annual Youth Justice Plans will become one element of the Youth Justice Board's approach to performance monitoring.