Thousands of troubled children and teenagers teetering on the
edge of crime will be put back on the right track thanks to the
largest youth justice funding boost in a generation – cutting
crime and making streets safer.
Around 80 percent of prolific adult offenders begin committing
crimes as children, and the estimated cost of late intervention
to the economy is nearly £17 billion per year.
That’s why the government is making the biggest investment in a
generation – worth £300 million over the next 3 years – to
support every single council across England and Wales in catching
and preventing youth offending earlier than ever, helping to stop
these children and teenagers from moving on to further, more
serious offending.
And for the first time ever, local authorities will be given
specific cash to intervene early with teenagers displaying signs
such as poor school attendance, troubles at home, and a history
of substance abuse which are known to be factors which often
drive young people into crime – so they can steer them away from
law-breaking before an offence is even committed.
Through ‘Turnaround’, a new early intervention scheme backed by
£60 million, local Youth Offending Teams will be given extra
funding to connect children and teenagers to targeted, wraparound
support to stop them going down a path of criminality.
This could include mentoring, extra school tuition, sports clubs,
help to address any issues at school or at home, with their
mental health or with substance misuse, tackling the root causes
of their behaviour and helping them to get their lives back on
track.
Funding will also be used to bolster the day-to-day running of
youth justice schemes and initiatives across the country, as well
as support the work of the 20,000 additional police officers the
government is committed to recruiting.
As part of today’s news, the Deputy Prime Minister, , visited a community boxing
scheme in Blackpool that is giving local children and teenagers
an alternative to anti-social behaviour, giving them skills such
as discipline and teamwork, and steering them away from potential
offending and back into education and training.
Deputy Prime Minister, Lord Chancellor, and Secretary of State
for Justice said: > > Diverting more
young people from gangs, drugs and violence will make our streets
safer.
So, we’re investing £300 million in preventative initiatives, to
deter criminal behaviour.
Our plan will ensure thousands more young people can turn their
lives around - which will transform their lives and make our
communities safer.
Minister for Youth Justice said:
Youth offending is a destructive force that blights communities
and rips families apart.
This vital new funding will help us stop youth crime in its
tracks by ensuring these children stay in education and rebuild
ties with their families, helping us build safer, more prosperous
communities.
Youth Justice Board Chair Keith Fraser said:
This is a smart and insightful investment by the government. If
our youth justice teams are well-resourced to help children and
families, we all benefit - from healthier, happier, safer
children and from safer communities with fewer victims.
This investment highlights the importance of their work and is a
huge opportunity for youth justice teams across England and
Wales. I hope they feel rightly proud of the contribution
they make to the safety of communities and the lives of children.
Ministers estimate that the Turnaround programme will reach up to
20,000 more children over three years who would not otherwise
have received support to turn away from offending.
While many local authorities already run successful early
intervention programmes, by providing funding over a three-year
period, councils will have greater certainty and be able to plan
longer-term – ultimately steering more children and teenagers
than ever away from crime.
Ministers will also set out plans in due course to improve how
funding is targeted to local authorities, to ensure funding
reaches areas who need it most and to ensure local authorities’
interventions are effective.
