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RECOMMENDATIONS |
SCOTTISH EXECUTIVE RESPONSE |
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For early implementation: |
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Expansion of the range and availability of effective, quality assessed, community-based interventions and programmes for persistent young offenders which can be used by reporters and the hearings. |
Accepted. The Scottish Executive agrees that this recommendation is central to the development of measures to address youth crime and to provide credible and effective alternatives to custody. This will require new resources. Longer-term decisions will be taken in the context of the Spending Review. However, from September 2000, an additional £3m will be made available through the Children’s Services Development Fund (CSDF) for local authorities to develop and deliver multi- agency programmes. A further £1m -£4m in all - will be made available in 2001-2002. The Scottish Executive agrees that the optimum method of providing this funding is through the CSDF. Local authorities will be advised shortly on the allocation of this additional funding. To access the funding, local authorities will be required to deliver programmes in line with the report’s recommendations. The prime focus should be on risk assessment and addressing offending behaviour. |
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There should be access to the new range of interventions and programmes by procurators fiscal and the courts for persistent young offenders up to age 18. |
Accepted. The Scottish Executive considers it important that suitable services bridge the transition from the children’s hearings system to the criminal justice system. Addressing offending behaviour requires tailored and often intensive approaches which are appropriate to the maturity and background of the young person. These should be available by whatever route the young person comes to the attention of the authorities. |
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A renaming of the Children’s Hearings system: one option would be simply to drop the reference to children. |
Accepted in principle. The Scottish Executive invites views on what the name should be. The children’s hearings system is well known as a unique welfare and justice process in Scotland. From the outset it has dealt with babies, children and young people up to age 18 in certain circumstances. Any new name would need to cover the age range of children and young people, and the welfare and justice elements of the hearings system. |
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Expansion of bail information and supervision schemes to all 16/17 year olds Expansion of pilot diversion schemes to all 16/17 year olds Develop the range of tailored community based disposals for under 18s coming before the courts in order to avoid custody. |
Accepted. The Scottish Executive already supports bail information and supervision projects and pilot diversion schemes in certain areas. From September 2000, the plans are to reallocate funding to increase resources for criminal justice social work by £0.5m to fund an extension of these services and the tailored alternatives to custody. A further increase of £0.5m will be made in 2001-2002. |
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A detailed examination of the feasibility of a bridging pilot scheme which would refer as many 16/17 year olds as possible to the hearings system. |
Accepted. The extension of the hearings system to include 16/17 year olds to the hearings system has implications for many agencies, including the hearings themselves, the Crown Office and the courts. Detailed examination of these implications needs to be undertaken, including whether any legislative changes are required to enable a pilot scheme to be introduced. |
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A national strategy based on core objectives which delivers a consistent framework for local activity and addresses training needs. |
Accepted. Views on what the strategy should cover are invited. A draft National Strategy will then be drawn up and issued for consultation later this year with a view to it being in place no later than April 2001. |
| Adapt the national framework to develop inter-disciplinary strategic local plans, where they do not already exist, which will deliver the necessary repertoire of services. |
Accepted. This will fall to local authorities to consider and implement once the National Strategy is finalised.
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| Establish multi-agency teams to consider all youth crime issues, covering preventive measures as well as rehabilitative programmes or interventions, and to oversee implementation of the local plan | Accepted. The Scottish Executive will reallocate funding of £1m per annum in a full year to increase GAE to support activity at local level. Detailed arrangements concerning this funding will be announced shortly. |
| Undertake audits of demand, resources, funding and training needs across the court and Hearings system | Accepted. The audits should be completed by December 2000 and first local plans in place by March 2001. |
| Implement the local plan and report on progress to the Scottish Executive. | Accepted. The first progress report will be asked for by March 2002. |
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A national resource to disseminate best practice, commission relevant research and accredit programmes or interventions for tackling persistent offending by children and young people. |
Accepted. The Scottish Executive is already supporting a comparable resource for criminal justice social work services with a Unit being developed at Edinburgh University. We propose to expand the Unit’s remit to cover offending by children and young people. |
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For Medium to Longer-term Implementation |
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Review the case for raising the age of criminal responsibility to 12 years. |
Accepted. The Scottish Executive will consider how best to review the age of criminal responsibility and the issues which might arise from any change. |
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Review the use of the fine as a penalty for young offenders to reduce the level of custody for fine default. |
Accepted. The Scottish Executive is carrying out research on the "Enforcement of Financial Penalties" and the use of Supervised Attendance Orders. The reports of these reviews will be published early in 2001 and special consideration will be given in this work to issues related to young offenders. |
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In the light of any bridging pilots, consider the case for rolling out these arrangements across Scotland. |
Accepted, subject to the findings of the feasibility study. |