Prevention is better than cure in tackling youth crime
21 September 2009
Leading figures from across local and national government in Wales and crime reduction experts have met in Cardiff today to tackle the serious issue of reducing youth crime and to discuss the role of local government and its partners in helping to prevent youth crime and to address the key issues behind youth re-offending.
Speaking at a Joint WLGA and Youth Justice Board Conference today, WLGA Leader, Cllr John Davies said:
“The latest figures by the Youth Justice Board show that offences committed by young people in Wales are falling. However, youth offending remains a serious matter which local government must address, not only impacting on the lives and future life chances of the young people who become involved in youth crime but often having a significant and detrimental impact on the wider community in terms of anti social behaviour within the local community, economic activity and regeneration.”
“By investing in children and young people, we are investing in Wales’ future. Behind every youth offender is a child or young person who deserves the best level of support we can give them in helping them to steer away from a future of crime. Together, we must offer them access to the best opportunities for reaching their potential in life and achieving their high aspirations. The key to reducing youth crime further in the future is having a clear understanding of why children and young people commit crime in the first place and then putting in support measures which prevent individuals from re-entering the system.”
“The WLGA fully endorses the three core principles set out within the All Wales Youth Offending strategy – Prevention, Diversionary activities and Intervention and we are committed to working closely with our local government partners both across local authorities and the four Welsh police forces to turn these principles into a reality and positive outcomes.”
“Whilst local authority youth offending teams will play a central role in helping to reduce youth crime across Wales, youth offending must be considered across every local authority service and policy area; from education and children’s services to housing and social services. Everyone has a role to play in addressing youth offending, from local authority corporate services to specific partnerships such as Community Safety Partnerships, Health and Well being Partnerships and Communities First Partnerships. It is imperative that we work together. It is also equally important that national government is joined up and that youth offending is considered across all government departments both within the Welsh Assembly Government and Westminster.”
During his conference address Cllr Davies outlined alienation from education, training and employment as well as the importance of the youth having access to safe and secure accommodation as key factors which can impact on offending behaviour.
He highlighted many initiatives that are already being run by local authorities and their police force partners to prevent and address offending behaviour. These include; the all Wales School Liaison Programme whereby police officers give clear information to children and young people across schools to deter them from behaviour which may lead to their involvement in crime. Furthermore, the local authority SPLASH leisure programme during school holidays which is aimed at keeping children and young people occupied during school holidays, thereby reducing anti social behaviour and opportunities to engage in youth crime. There are also a number of individual schemes run by local authorities, for example schools across Rhondda Cynon Taff, with the support of youth offending teams, encourage children and young people who have been involved in crime to take responsibility for the actions and to talk about the harm they have caused to others.
On the importance of education and training, Cllr Davies said: “Access to education and training is paramount in helping the rehabilitation and resettlement of young people already within the youth justice system and every local authority must work harder to address the number of young people across their communities who are NEET.”
He also highlighted the importance of the youth having access to appropriate accommodation and support saying: “More integration is needed between the work of the Youth Offending Officer and local authority housing services. The WLGA will be working with relevant stakeholders to help take this forward.”
Importantly, Cllr Davies recognised the many examples of local service reform that are already happening across Wales to deliver improved support to vulnerable children and their families who have complex needs, saying:
“As a result of the new Children and Families Measure we are seeing many examples of new Integrated Family Support Teams being pioneered across Wales. These are multi–agency teams which are bringing together social workers, family workers, substance misuse professionals, nurses and health visitors to work directly with families to protect and support vulnerable children and young people”
Key speakers at today’s event include:
• Cllr John Davies, WLGA Leader
• John Griffiths, AM, DCELLS Deputy Minister, Welsh Assembly Government
• Alison Ward, Chair SOLACE Wales
• Rob Pickford, Director of Social; Services, Welsh Assembly Government
• Frances Done, Chair of the Youth Justice Board
• Julie Fox, HMI Youth Probation Service
During today’s event, former international Welsh rugby player Scott Quinnell also shared his experiences of dyslexia offering advice on how best to get through to individuals who suffer from learning difficulties.
Cllr Davies’ speech and all other presentations will be available at: www.yjb.gov.uk following the event
Ends
Notes to editors
• 15,157 offences were committed by young people in Wales during 2007-08 compared to 16,676 in 2006-07
• Youth crime costs public services in Wales £75.6 million per annum
• NEET is a statistical category relating to a group of young people aged 16-18 who are not engaged in any form of education, employment or training. In practice, however, the term is often used more generally to describe young people who are disaffected, or who have disengaged from learning and employment, and who may also be increasingly marginalised from society
• New Integrated Family Support Teams are being pioneered in the following local authority areas: Newport City Council, Wrexham County Borough Council and Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council, Rhondda Cynon Taff ( via a consortia arrangement)