TEAM IS KEY TO SUCCESS WITH YOUTH OFFENDERS

But the most common questions asked are what can be done to address the problem, with repeat offenders seeming to get away with a slap on the wrist, and what is being done about the problem now?

There have been big changes in the way problem youths are tackled, with Youth Justice System recently going through a major reform, and the key to its success is the Youth Offending Team.

Aileen Shepherd is the Head of Youth Offending Services in Cheshire and is responsible for the Youth Offending Team in Winsford.

She said: "The Youth Offending Team is a multi agency partnership between Cheshire County Council Social Services, Cheshire Probation Service, Cheshire Health Authority, the Education Authority and the Police.

"The purpose of the team is to prevent youngsters offending, and we have responsibility for ensuring there is no re-offending."

She added: "Our age range is between 10 and 18 years-old and we hope to systematically assess young people that are referred to us by the Police and the Court, and direct them to change their behaviour and make amends to victims."

"Having police officers in this type of team is proving extremely useful, especially with the importance of dealing with offending at an early stage before the young person can become immersed in crime.

"With the end of the cautioning system, any young person with a final warning would be referred to us."

Aileen gave a case study of how the Youth Offending Team would deal with a typical youth crime.

She said: "When a child breaks a window, it may be useful in that particular case for the offender to talk to the victim, and then they could meet all the people who have been inconvenienced as a result.

"We can then show the young person the problem they have caused, and as a result we have seen lots and lots of attitude changes.

"Beforehand that young person would have been cautioned and that would have been the end of the matter."

Rehabilitation can also involve drug and alcohol programmes, as well as education and training schemes to get young offenders back on the right track.

However, a more novel approach is reparation where the offender can do something constructive to make amends to the victim.

Aileen said that in the case of a more serious offence such as assault, the victim may not want any personal contact with the offender, but the offender can write and can make reparation by doing community work, such as working in the victim's favourite charity shop for example.

However, this does not mean that offences go unpunished, Aileen talked about an approach on two levels of punishment and rehabilitation.

She said: "Punishment depends on the level of the crime, although punishment on its own is limited, but this is not a soft option, many of our programmes put considerable restrictions on liberty.

"What we must have is a balanced programme between punishment, doing what they have to do, and rehabilitation, making sure that the underpinning issues are addressed."

If a youngster is held in custody, the Youth Offending Team will ensure that the time is well spent in building skills, and when they are released this work will continue.

Aileen said: "When the young person comes out of the custodial sentence, they are on a detention and training order and we will have a scheme ready under strict supervision.

"If someone has been out of society for a year they have to be equipped."

Ken McDonald works for the Youth Offending Team in Winsford as a Youth Justice Social Worker for Vale Royal and is pleased with the multi-agency approach.

He said: "I have been in this area for the last eight years and I do think the multi agency approach will make a significant difference to combatting youth offending.

He added: "Previously the approach was fragmented but now with a more multi-agency approach it will go a long way to tackling the issues behind youth crime."

Aileen admits that the new system is not foolproof, but it certainly looks likely that it will prove more constructive than merely cautioning a youth, or throwing them in custody only to re-offend when released.

She said: "Of course this system is not going to work with all offenders, but research suggests that this is the appropriate way to go."

PIC: Ken McDonald, Youth Justice Social Worker for Vale Royal believes the multi agency approach will be a success.

But the most common questions asked are what can be done to address the problem, with repeat offenders seeming to get away with a slap on the wrist, and what is being done about the problem now?

There have been big changes in the way problem youths are tackled, with the Youth Justice System recently going through a major reform, and the key to its success is the Youth Offending Team.

Aileen Shepherd is the Head of Youth Offending Services in Cheshire and is responsible for the Youth Offending Team in Winsford.

She said: "The Youth Offending Team is a multi agency partnership between Cheshire County Council Social Services, Cheshire Probation Service, Cheshire Health Authority, the Education Authority and the Police.

"The purpose of the team is to prevent youngsters offending, and we have responsibility for ensuring there is no re-offending."

She added: "Our age range is between 10 and 18 years-old and we hope to systematically assess young people that are referred to us by the police and the Court, and direct them to change their behaviour and make amends to victims.

"Having police officers in this type of team is proving extremely useful, especially with the importance of dealing with offending at an early stage before the young person can become immersed in crime.

"With the end of the cautioning system, any young person with a final warning would be referred to us."

Aileen gave a case study of how the Youth Offending Team would deal with a typical youth crime.

She said: "When a child breaks a window, it may be useful in that particular case for the offender to talk to the victim, and then they could meet all the people who have been inconvenienced as a result.

"We can then show the young person the problem they have caused, and as a result we have seen lots and lots of attitude changes.

"Beforehand that young person would have been cautioned and that would have been the end of the matter."

Rehabilitation can also involve drug and alcohol programmes, as well as education and training schemes to get young offenders back on the right track.

However, a more novel approach is reparation where the offender can do something constructive to make amends to the victim.

Aileen said that in the case of a more serious offence such as assault, the victim may not want any personal contact with the offender, but the offender can write and can make reparation by doing community work, such as working in the victim's favourite charity shop for example.

However, this does not mean that offences go unpunished, Aileen talked about an approach on two levels of punishment and rehabilitation.

She said: "Punishment depends on the level of the crime, although punishment on its own is limited. But this is not a soft option, many of our programmes put considerable restrictions on liberty.

"What we must have is a balanced programme between punishment, doing what they have to do, and rehabilitation, making sure that the underpinning issues are addressed."

If a youngster is held in custody, the Youth Offending Team will ensure that the time is well spent in building skills, and when they are released this work will continue.

Aileen said: "When the young person comes out of the custodial sentence, they are on a detention and training order and we will have a scheme ready under strict supervision.

"If someone has been out of society for a year they have to be equipped."

Ken McDonald works for the Youth Offending Team in Winsford as a Youth Justice Social Worker for Vale Royal and is pleased with the multi agency approach.

He said: "I have been in this area for the last eight years and I do think the multi agency approach will make a significant difference to combatting youth offending."

He added: "Previously the approach was fragmented but now with a more multi agency appraoch it will go a long way to tackling the issues behind youth crime."

Aileen admits that the new system is not foolproof, but it certainly looks likely that it will prove more constructive than merely cautioning a youth, or throwing them in custody only to re-offend when released.

She said: "Of course this system is not going to work with all offenders, but research suggests that this is the appropriate way to go."

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