The Youth Offender Management Group (YOMG) has been in operation since 2007, addressing offending committed by under 16's. This scheme has been instrumental in reducing volume crimes such as vandalism, and can evidence a real reduction in repeat offending rates.
Central to the ethos of the YOMG is achieving better outcomes for the children and young people of Fife. This is achieved by responding, more effectively to needs and concerns at an earlier stage, whilst meeting the Getting It Right agenda.
Performance data produced evidences a successful reduction in the number of Police Reports submitted to the Children's Reporter with 2,143 being submitted in 2006/07 to 312 in 2010/11. In addition, the number of persistent repeat offenders managed by the scheme also significantly educed from 112 in 2007/08 to 4 in 2010/11.
Recent analytical evidence showing the impact of the work carried out by the YOMG shows a reduction of 45% in youth offending in Fife since the YOMG's inception.
PLANNING / · a clear rationale, defined processes and focus on stakeholder needs· contributes to organisation’s goals and addresses current or emerging challenges
Tackling youth offending rates is a priority issue both within Fife and throughout Scotland as a whole. In this respect, from a Fife perspective it became apparent that the number of persistent repeat young offenders was increasing. Whilst there were a number of associated reasons for this increase, including the development of the National Intelligence Model, and the introduction of the Problem Orientated Partnerships in Force, it was apparent that existing methods for dealing with repeat young offenders were not working and a new approach required to be taken. Consequently, Fife Constabulary implemented the 'Juvenile Warning Scheme' in June 2006.
An audit of the Juvenile Warning Scheme was conducted in March 2007, and in consultation with Youth Justice partners, including the Authority Reporter for Fife, the scheme was revised and renamed the Youth Offender Management Scheme. This review also resulted in the inception of the Youth Offender Management Group (YOMG).
The YOMG's key aim is to divert young offenders to appropriate interventions through partner agencies to provide an immediate and proportionate response to the offending behaviours. Prior to the development of the YOMG, due to the numbers involved, referrals made to the Children's Reporter took on average 181 days to be processed, assessed and actioned. The figure now sits at an average of 60 days.
Through the development of joint working, the primary aims of the YOMG are:
- To enable more timely and appropriate interventions for young offenders;
- To reduce re-offending rates and the number of persistent repeat offenders;
- To reduce the amount of Police time and resources spent in compiling Police Reports for minor crimes/offences;
- To reduce the number of inappropriate referrals to the Children's Reporter;
- To enhance partnership working through more effective communication and information sharing. Thus ensuring a more timely service provision; and
- A shared understanding and agreement when addressing youth offending and community impact.
This model involves a unique multi-agency partnership approach focussed on ensuring that youth offenders are responded to in an efficient, effective and proportionate manner. Co-ordinated by Fife Constabulary, the partnership approach includes representation as follows:
- Children's Reporter;
- Procurator Fiscal;
- Fife Council Social Work Service;
- Fife Council Education Service;
- Fife Community Safety Partnership (Youth Diversion);
- NHS Fife (child protection);
- SACRO (Safeguarding Communities / Reducing Offending); and
- Victim Support
The development of this partnership model in Fife is in line with the Getting It Right For Every Child (GIRFEC) agenda, which has a clear focus on agencies providing appropriately identified early intervention through effective partnership working, to meet the needs of our most vulnerable and at risk children and young people.
The primary aim of the process was to achieve a dramatic reduction in the number of Police reports being submitted to the Children's Reporter, while simultaneously impacting on offending behaviour through the introduction of offender specific interventions.
In order to achieve these aims, the Group has primary decision-making powers for responding to youth offending in Fife, and acts as the central point for managing the allocation of interventions through appropriate referrals to key agencies to support young people.
DELIVERING / · implemented in all relevant areas and across all the required stakeholders· carried out in a structured and logical way , using robust and sustainable methods
The Group meet twice weekly to review youth offending in Fife over the previous 3-4 day period. In preparation for each meeting, the Youth Issues Team collates data on all detected youth offenders since the previous meeting, and circulates this to the members of the Group. The Team also conduct family background checks in order to gain a full understanding of the circumstances relating to each young person tabled for discussion. Each agency interrogates their respective information systems and brings any existing/ongoing knowledge from their Service. They are then asked to attend the meetings, bringing relevant data for discussion.
The Group considers all offences other than those of a violent and/or sexual nature.
The offence in question is then considered in conjunction with the information held by all agencies:
- What concerns are raised by Police;
- What are the risk factors that need to be addressed;
- Which agency is best positioned to address these;
- Which agency will take the lead role, and which other agencies should support; and
- Whether in fact the child or young person should be referred to the Children's Reporter.
There is an agreement amongst all agencies represented with the Group that one member will adopt the role of 'Lead Professional' acting on behalf of all agencies involved. For example, there may be a number of agencies involved with the family, however one will be appointed to co-ordinate activity. They will ensure actions are carried out and feedback given to the Group when required.
A number of options available to the Group for diversion include, written warnings, Restorative Justice, along with various programmes of interventions provided by the various partners involved.
INNOVATION + LEADING PRACTICE / · Demonstrates leading practice, and is capable of replication elsewhere· Achieves genuine innovation or new ways of working
To further enhance Fife's response to Early & Effective Intervention (EEI), the Force Youth Issues Co-ordinator was seconded to the Scottish Government where EEI guidance was written, based in the main part on Fife's model. This guidance has since been published nationally, and there is currently a 'roll out' being undertaken by Government representatives.
This demonstrates how the Scottish Government is supporting EEI models with additional funding to ensure sustainability of any new or amended processes being introduced within Local Authorities. The EEI models are also crucial in supporting the GIRFEC agenda, and are integral to the Scottish Government's approach 'Preventing Youth Offending – A Framework for Action'.
In November 2010, the Force Youth Issues Co-ordinator presented to a conference in Hungary on the subject of tackling youth offending and anti-social behaviour. It is testimony to the Force, that since this presentation, our colleagues from Hungary have informed us that they are in the very early stages of adopting a localised version of Fife's approach.
RESULTS + IMPACT / · a convincing mix of customer and internal performance measures· clear line of sight to the delivery of better outcomes for communities
· a full range of relevant results– either already achieved or with potential to deliver over time
Recent analysis conducted by Fife Community Safety Partnership demonstrated that since YOMG's inception in 2007, youth offending rates have decreased by 45% through the interventions provided through the Group. During this time, Fife Constabulary has diverted a total of 7,121 cases from the Children's Reporter by way of a more appropriate and considered intervention. In addition, a total of 2,721 offence reports have been submitted to the Children's Reporter within this time in respect of those children who require compulsory measures of supervision. The effectiveness of the Youth Offender Management Group has decreased this number by 53% compared to the previous three-year period.
Introducing this process has provided the following quantifiable benefits:
- Reduction in persistent repeat young offenders from 112 to 4 since the Group's inception;
- Reduction of 2,996 in the compilation of Police Reports;
- An equivalent of 8,988 operational Police hours saved, and reinvested into front-line Policing. A comparable saving of approximately £242,676;
- An additional 7,121 children and young people being dealt with by alternative means to report. That equates to 21,363 operational Police Officer hours or an equivalent monetary value of £576,80; and
- In real terms, the Youth Offender Management Group has provided financial savings amounting to £819,477 or 30,351 hours returned to operational front-line duties.
Further business benefits associated with the introduction of this process have been extremely positive and include:
- Increased information sharing, and communication exchange between partners;
- Shared access to IT systems across agencies. Fife Constabulary's Youth Issues Team has access to both Social Work and Education IT systems;
- Improved joint priorities supporting and shaping service re-design towards those most at risk; and
- Earlier intervention and a more immediate response to needs affords young people a greater understanding of how their behaviour impacts on others,
With effect from 1st April 2011, the first major remit development of the Youth Offender Management Group since its inception has been undertaken within Fife.
Previously, 16 and 17 year old youths who offend and then reported to the Procurator Fiscal (PF) are, on many occasions referred to partners currently engaged within the Youth Offender Management Group. This process for these referrals to be made involves the submission of a Police Report to the PF who will then assess the information and come to a decision thereafter. This is a long drawn-out process, and in some cases can result in no action/proceedings being taken at all.
In order to address the bureaucracy surrounding this process, reducing the administration burden for Police Officers, and to provide a more robust response to offending and anti-social behaviour, the Area PF was approached with a view to joining the partnership of the YOMG. This was met with great enthusiasm, and has now been agreed, approved, and implemented. Although extremely early in operation, results are positive to date.
In consultation with the Scottish Government, it has been agreed that Fife will be recognised as a learning partner for our work with over 16's, and with Government funding, Fife Constabulary will commission an independent evaluation over a two-year period. The learning to come from this evaluation will be reflected in national guidance, again putting Fife forward as the market leader in addressing youth offending, as we have been consistently since our work began in 2007.
The development of Fife Youth Issues Management is aligned to the Safer and Stronger Strategic Objective in terms of delivering Early & Effective Intervention working with young people who offend.
A sustained year on year reduction in offending rates has delivered public confidence that Fife is a safe place, whilst the tangible needs of young people, often vulnerable, is being met to improve their life chances and include them to be responsible citizens.
In short, delivering a change of emphasis from merely criminal justice processes to working closer with communities promotes the Getting It Right For Every Child values.
COSLA EXCELLENCE AWARDS 2012 Page | 1
COSLA EXCELLENCE AWARDS 2012 Page | 1