Youth crime prevention programmes to expand

The Youth Inclusion Programme and Youth Inclusion and Support
Panels are to be expanded by 50 per cent as part of the Home
Office’s five-year plan.

The two Youth Justice Board programmes aim to divert young
people from age eight to 16 from getting involved in crime.

Currently, the Youth Inclusion Programme, which is for 13- to
16-year-olds, runs in 72 neighbourhoods in England and Wales. It is
funded by the YJB and Lottery’s New Opportunities Fund.

YISPs are multi-agency panels set up to prevent antisocial
behaviour and offending by 8 to 13 year olds by identifying
children at risk and helping families access appropriate
services.

The strategic plan also outlines measures for neighbourhood
policing teams, and greater use of new technology such as satellite
tracking to monitor offenders.

Fixed penalty notices will be extended to new offences including
the misuse of fireworks, and new ways to tackle antisocial
behaviour will be piloted in 50 areas.

These will include specialist prosecutors and antisocial
behaviour response courts.

– More at www.homeoffice.gov.uk/docs3/strategicplan.html