Preventative Strategies in Youth Crime

1
Preventative Strategies in Youth Crime Bob
Ashford Youth Justice Board
2
Reducing youth crime

• Bob Ashford
• Head of Prevention YJB

3
Risk factors

• Community based risk factors
• Family based risk factors
• School based risk factors
• Individual or peer based risk factors

4
Links between poverty and offending

• Risk factor clusters
• Offending as a route to adverse outcomes
• Child criminality in an inter-generational
  context
• Parental offending a risk factor in itself
• Link between poverty and crime and crime and
  poverty of opportunity

5
                       
   
6
When and how should we intervene?

• Four levels of intervention
• Level one action on whole populations within a
  universal service
• Level two action on groups of children where
  problems are beginning to manifest themselves
• Level three customised approach for the
  individual, to address multiple and complex risk
  factors
• Level four Individual support to rehabilitate
  and restore to secure better outcomes

7
The case for early intervention

• Research on risk factors
• Adverse outcomes
• Onset of offending early prevention
• Canadian research
• Cost effectiveness
• Evaluations

8
YJB targeted interventions

• Misspent Youth
• Youth Justice 2004
• Yisps
• Yips
• Parenting
• ISSPs
• A record of success

9
Resources

• Welfare or criminal justice/ the role of Yots
• Funding sources
• RSGs
• Childrens Fund/IRT/Sure Start
• Parenting Fund
• PAYP
• NRF
• SRB
• Young Peoples Fund

10
Summary

• We know what the risk factors are
• Children exposed to multiple risk factors are
  disproportionately more likely to end up as
  persistent offenders
• Involvement in offending brings with it a higher
  risk of other adverse outcomes
• Offending can be intergenerational
• Need for universal and targeted approach to break
  cycle
• Unique role of Yots in bridging welfare and
  criminal justice agencies
• Extensive new resources available for all
  vulnerable young people