Youth Justice

Thursday 3rd March 2011, Grange Holborn Hotel - London, 09:00 - 16:10

The Next Steps in Creating an Effective Youth Justice System

Overview

Youth justice is a serious issue that threatens many communities and families. Recent well publicised events have seen the emotion that youth crime and the related justice system create, and the difficult circumstances that those who work in this field have to operate in. Figures compiled from the Police National Computer show that the number of young people entering justice programmes fell by 20% between 2008 – 2009, yet instances of youth crime remain stubbornly high.

An estimated 278,000 crimes were committed by 16-24 year olds in 2007-2008. However, the system used to measure youth crime has been called into question. Subsequently, in June 2010, the Home Office opened a consultation on classifying youth crime figures. Youth justice figures must not only focus on the perpetrators of crime but also the victims. 50% of all victims of crime are under 18 and statistics from the British Crime Survey show that in 2009, 14% of young people were a victim of theft or violence.

The former government introduced several measures through the Tackling Crime Action Plan. Recent initiatives include the Scaled Approach, which delivers a tiered approach to intervention and the Youth Rehabilitation Order, which simplifies sentencing. The impacts of these strategies are only now becoming clear, with youth reoffending rates falling by almost 9% between 2005 – 2008. However, programmes to support young offenders now face a critical funding crisis. Local authority budgets have come under unprecedented strain, with many youth offending teams left at risk of funding cuts.

The government expressed its commitment to reduce the prevalence of youth crime and reform of the youth justice system. Announcments included bringing youth justice under direct control of the Ministry of Justice, ending the cross-departmental relationship with the Department for Education. The government has also pledged to examine the legal processes surrounding youth crime and the treatment of children in criminal courts. An Independent Commission on Youth Crime and Anti-Social Behaviour chaired by Anthony Salz delivered its report into the sector in summer 2010.

This forum will examine the latest policy and practice developments in youth justice and consider how local authorities and policing services will have to adapt to meet new funding expectations. With keynote presentations from across the sector, delegates will hear first class practical guidance on how to reform services.

Agenda

09:00	Coffee and Registration
09:35	Chairs Welcome and Address Anthony Salz, Chair, Independent Commission on Youth Crime and Antisocial Behaviour (CONFIRMED)
09:50	Opening Keynote: Reforming the Justice Landscape The causes and consequences of youth crime – tackling inequalities Measuring youth crime The role of voluntary and private sectors in youth justice services Alternatives to youth custody – a move towards rigorous community sentencing Future for restorative justice programmes Payment by outcomes – successes in reducing recidivism John Drew, Chief Executive, Youth Justice Board (CONFIRMED)
10:10	Questions and Answers Session
10:20	Youth Services – Working in Partnership Engaging with communities to reduce youth crime Ensuring the education needs of young offenders are met Strategies for reducing the number of young people entering the youth justice system Commissioning framework of youth justice programmes Successful safeguarding of young people Funding options and priorities for youth justice programmes Lorna Hadley, Chair, Association of Youth Offending Team Managers & Youth Offending Team Manager, London Borough Newham (CONFIRMED)
10:40	Questions and Answers Session
11:00	Coffee and Networking
11:30	Case Study: Youth Services in the Community Setting The impact youth crime has on the local community Addressing the root causes of youth crime Effective youth participation and early intervention programmes Ending the cycle of youth crime – supporting young people’s transition to adulthood Engaging with young people, families and communities Education and training programmes - outcomes on reducing crime Improving the employability of young people at risk of becoming offenders Chris Wright, Chief Operating Officer, Catch22 (CONFIRMED)
11:50	Early Intervention and Prevention Prevention is better than cure The nature of youth crime The social and economic factors behind youth crime Early intervention - identifying risk factors for young people Reducing the volume of young people entering the justice system Offering suitable alternatives to imprisonment Raising aspirations – education services for young people Providing support to young people and their families Improving the public perception of young people Carlene Firmin, Assistant Director, Policy and Research, Barnardo’s (CONFIRMED)
12:10	Questions and Answers Session
12:30	Lunch and Networking
13:30	Young People in the Criminal Justice System Review of the age of criminal responsibility The experiences of young defendants in the court system Should youth crimes be tried in adult courts? Sentencing guidelines – alternatives to custody Some thoughts on restorative justice The disclosure of criminal records John Bache JP, Chairman of the Youth Courts Committee, The Magistrates' Association (CONFIRMED)
13:50	The Importance of Health Within Youth Justice The practical use of publications, national guidance and reviews to develope partnership working and improve outcomes for young people who offend Understanding the role of YOT Nurses within youth justice and be confident that ‘value for money’ and appropriate services are being commissioned via regular Health Needs Assessment Developing clear & robust Service Level Agreements between the secure estate and community; Primary Care Trusts; Drug and Alcohol Action Teams; Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services and YOT Continuing Professional Development - training for YOT Nurses & and other YOT staff to understand & and develop their respective roles Nicola Ellis, Primary Care Lead, North-West Regional Offender Health Team (CONFIRMED)
14:10	Questions and Answers Session
14:30	Coffee and Networking
15:00	Rethinking Strategies to Reduce Youth Crime The impact anti-social behavior legislation has had on the rate of young people entering custody Resettlement programmes for young offenders Alternatives to custody – intensive fostering, community orders, restorative justice The social and economic cost of imprisoning young people Learning lessons – international programmes on youth justice Reducing re-offending – link between young offender institutions and adult prisons The long-term effectiveness of custodial sentences Penelope Gibbs, Director, Out of Trouble Programme, Prison Reform Trust (CONFIRMED)
15:20	Questions and Answers Session
15:30	Closing Keynote: Transforming Youth Justice Future regulation of youth justice Managing the prison population and expenditure on custody Investing in targeted public services to reduce offending – education, health and housing Personalizing services to meet the needs of vulnerable young people Recognising the health needs of young offenders Reviewing the use of short custodial sentences Sir Alan Beith MP, Chair, Justice Select Committee (CONFIRMED)
15:50	Questions and Answers Session
16:05	Chair's Closing Remarks
16:10	Close

*programme subject to change without notice

Audience

Delegates will include heads of youth offending and community safety teams; anti-social behaviour officers; heads of enforcement; police officers; chief inspectors; superintendents; heads of neighbourhood services; safe guarding managers; gang coordinators; knife crime coordinators; social workers; youth workers; magistrates; members of the judiciary; solicitors from the public and private sectors; probation officers; youth and community workers; managers of youth offender institutions; housing officers; children’s services managers; truancy liaison officers; teachers; policy and strategy officers; PCT representatives; careers advisors and trade unions representatives. Delegates will come from a variety of organisations and sectors including police, local authorities, central government departments, HM Prison Service, National Offender Management Service, voluntary organisations, local education authorities, colleges, academia, think-tanks and the private sector.