A report providing information on the Youth Justice Plan 2024-2025.

The Committee received a report on the Youth Justice Plan 2024-2025.  The report explained that the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 and a condition of the Youth Justice Board Grant, had placed a duty on the Local Authority to produce an annual Plan.  The Plan had been produced and signed off by the Youth Justice Partnership through the Youth Justice Management Board, which was independently chaired. The plan reported the performance of Youth Justice Service (previously the Youth Offending Service) for 2023/2024 against the national and statistical family comparators in the period. The Youth Justice Plan 2024-2025 was attached as Appendix 1 to the report.

The Youth Justice Plan 2024-2025 described the Youth Justice Service and partners’ performance against the national indicators, namely, reducing First Time Entrants (FTE’s) into the criminal justice system, reducing reoffending and reducing the number of young people going to custody. The Plan also provided further analysis about safeguarding, managing the risk of harm to others and other local performance indicators.

The annual Plan identified the following areas as priorities for 2024-2025:

·         Reducing first time entrants into the criminal justice system

·         Reducing reoffending

·         Reducing the use of custody

·         Addressing disproportionality within the justice system

·         Reducing the impact of serious youth violence

·         Embedding Child First and Identity Development Practice as the practice model across the partnership

·         Improving outcomes for victims of youth crime

During the discussion it was noted that an audit in Restorative Justice was being undertaken to recognise the importance of the work and as part of the routine schedule of audits. Regarding a query on Stop and Search analysis, it was noted that an audit had been taken to a recent Board meeting and following this positive practice had been developed, data on this would be shared if required.  It was reported that a Disproportionality Action Plan was an agenda item for the Board and work was being undertaken on this matter. It was also reported that work was being undertaken to tackle Serious Youth Violence which included Act Now, a knife crime initiative to fund youth workers to provide an operational positive impact. 

It was requested that specific data on Global Majority groups and which ethnic groups were proportionally affected be provided to help understand the issues.

Resolved –   That the content of the Reading Youth Justice Plan 2024-2025 be noted.