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Contact: P. Sutton, Head of Youth Offending Services, Tel No 01962 876100

[email protected]

1. Introduction

1.1 Every local authority is required to publish an annual youth justice plan, setting out how youth justice services will be provided in the local area. In March 2002, the requirement was for a three-year plan covering the period 2002-2005. Members received a first draft of an update to this plan at their last meeting. It was agreed to bring a further report to the Committee about the plan before submitting it to the Youth Justice Board on the due date for submission, which is 31^st March.

2. Performance in 2002

2.1 The most recent draft of the 2003/04 update is attached. (Appendix 1). The performance data is now complete. Performance is monitored in relation to thirteen national performance measures for youth offending teams. There are local variations between the seven areas of Wessex Yot, but the general picture is of:

_ Reduced numbers of young people involved in burglary and car crime;

_ Reduced levels of re-offending by young offenders.

These are two of the thirteen measures and, arguably, the most important.

2.2 In relation to the remaining eleven measures, strong performance is demonstrated in relation to meeting the mental health and accommodation needs of young offenders, and in the level of satisfaction with services provided expressed by parents who attend parenting programmes and by victims who participate in victim / offender mediation.

2.3 Performance needs to improve in five key areas. These include ensuring that the Youth Offending Team meets national standards for the timeliness of court reports and of training plans for young people sent to custody. In addition, the recorded use of the Asset assessment tool, of restorative justice interventions and of interventions in support of final warnings are all too low. In May 2003, the Youth Justice Board will publish the first set of comparative tables for England and Wales. These will show the performance of Yots in the first quarter of 2003. Remedial action is currently being put in place to ensure that all of the work of the Wessex Yot is accurately recorded so that the first published national tables will present a true picture of the performance of the team. The Committee will receive a copy of the national performance tables at its next meeting.

3. Priorities and Resources for 2003/04

3.1 The priorities for 2003/04 flow out of the performance review. The immediate priority will be the improvement of performance in the five key areas identified above.

3.2 The Youth Offending Team will be working closely with the four Children's Fund Boards to help ensure that the 25% of their budget which is allocated to youth crime prevention helps to reduce the number of persistent young offenders in the future. New resources allocated to the Yot by the South Central Connexions Partnership will be used to provide support for 16 and 17 year olds with employment, training or education. Together, these two initiatives bring an additional £800,000 into the budget of the Yot's partner agencies, which is targeted towards youth crime prevention.

3.3 The final version of the financial tables linked to the youth justice plan is not yet complete. Members will recall that the Probation Service has indicated that it intends to reduce its contribution to the partnership's budget by £105,000, representing a 9% reduction in its contribution. Discussions may need to continue between the partner agencies right up until the deadline in order to resolve the difficulties arising from this decision. A verbal report on this matter will be provided.

4. Conclusion

4.1 It is recommended that the Committee approve the 2003/04 update of the three year youth justice plan on behalf of the four local authorities, the police and probation services and the strategic health authority.

P. Sutton

13.3.03

cyjc yj plan 2003

Section 100D - Local Government Act 1972 - Background Documents:

The following documents disclose facts or matters on which this report or an important part of it, is based and has been relied upon to a material extent in the preparation of this report.

N.B. The list schedules:

i. Published works.

ii. Documents which disclose exempt or confidential information as defined in the Act.

None