This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Fast-track hearings to tackle youth crime
31/01/2003
Fast-track hearings designed to deal quickly and
effectively with young people who persistently break the
law are now open for business, it was announced today.
The new hearings - being piloted in Dundee, Ayrshire and
East Lothian and the Borders - are aimed at a hard core of
offenders responsible for one third of youth crime in our
communities.
Speaking at Cumnock New Community School, Minister for
Young People Cathy Jamieson said:
"Fast-track hearings will not only deal with persistent
offenders quickly but make them face up to their actions
and get them on the right programme to tackle their
offending behaviour. The hearings are a key part of our
crackdown on young people who repeatedly offend.
"Young people who are repeatedly breaking the law must
have their behaviour challenged. We have put in place a
range of rigorous programmes - from mentoring services to
programmes in secure accommodation - to combat offending
behaviour, and we will reduce the time taken to get young
people into programmes.
"We know that it is a small minority of young people who
persistently offend. But that small minority can cause huge
problems and distress in local communities. We must
continue to cut youth crime and make our communities safer
places to live, for all citizens."
Scottish Children's Reporter Administration Principal
Reporter Alan Miller said:
"We have been working enthusiastically with our partners
in the children's hearing system to develop the fast-track
pilots.
"This is an opportunity to show that a world-class
system can deliver world-class results when it is well
resourced.
"We are confident this will further enhance our efforts
to turn around the lives of the most troubled and needy
young offenders in our communities."
Fast Track hearings will deal with the 8 per cent of
offenders under 16 who commit five or more offences, mostly
vandalism, breach of the peace, and car related crime. This
will tackle more than one third of offending in communities
by young people.
From February 1, any young person who has five or more
referrals for offences within a six month period will go
through the fast-track process. [NB the criterion is for
referrals which may contain more than one offence]
The fast-track hearings should take 80 days between the
offence being committed to referral to a programme - this
is one third quicker than what happens at present.
New interventions in pilot areas to support the
fast-track hearings include: new programmes that cover road
traffic offending, parenting, mentoring, social skills,
anger management and mental health issues. There are also
extra intensive support places, educational support places
and additional residential and secure accommodation
places.
All partners - pilot authorities, police, children's
panel chairs and the voluntary sector - have agreed the
standards and how it should work, and that all agencies,
including panel members, have had or will have special
training.