Young Offenders
The Youth Justice Board for England and Wales is an executive non-departmental public body with a primary aim of preventing offending by children and young people up to the age of 17. The current peak age of offending is 14, hence early intervention is vital.
Sentences
A wide range of sentences are available to the youth justice system for young offenders, and custody is a last resort. When young people first get into trouble for committing minor offences or for anti-social behaviour, they can be dealt with outside the courts. For anti-social behaviour, the police and local authority can use pre-court orders such as Anti-Social Behaviour Orders or Child Safety Orders. For first or second time minor offences the police can use Reprimands and Final Warnings. Follow the link to Pre-Court Orders on the right for more information.
The objective is to stop offending behaviour and provide support and help early on.
When a young person is charged with an offence they will appear before a Youth Court (a Crown Court is used only in very serious cases). The young offender may receive the following sentences:
- Discharge;
- Fine;
- Reparation Order, for example repairing damage caused to property or cleaning up graffiti;
- Community Punishment, for 16-17 year olds. This might involve working with the elderly or conservation work;
- Community Rehabilitation, for 16-17 year olds. This might include programmes to address offending behaviour;
- Curfew Order, requiring the offender to remain in a specified place for set periods of time;
- Drug Treatment and Testing Order, for individuals with drug misuse issues
- Referral Orders - given to all young offenders (aged 10-17) pleading guilty and convicted for a first offence. The offender the is referred to a Youth Offender Panel who consider the best course of action.
- For other community sentencing options, or further details of the above sentences click on the Youth Sentences link on the right hand side.
Section 90/ 91
This sentence is given for the most serious offences, such as murder or rape, for which an adult would receive a minimum 14 years in custody. The case is heard in a Crown Court and the entire sentence is spent in custody. The release date for Section 90 offences is determined by the Home Secretary, the release date for Section 91 is set automatically.