This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Fast-track hearings for persistent offenders
23/10/2002
Fast-track children's hearings for under-16s who persistently break the law are to be piloted in three areas - Dundee, Ayrshire, and jointly in East Lothian and the Borders.
The hearings are intended to play a key role in the Executive's Youth Crime Action Plan, which aims to ensure that offending behaviour is quickly and effectively tackled.
Announcing the pilots during a visit to the CHOICE project in Dundee, Education and Young People Minister CathyJamieson said:
"A disproportionate amount of youth crime is carried out by a hardcore of persistent offenders. These young tearaways cause misery for communities throughout Scotland. We must take quick and effective action to deal with repeat offenders.
"Fast-track children's hearings, together with youth courts for those aged 16 or over, will not only deal with persistent offenders quickly but will also make them face up to their actions. They will add real value to the existing hearings system, which is envied around the world.
"Last week I announced a multi-million investment in three new schemes which will radically increase the number of programmes run by local authorities and voluntary organisations to tackle youth crime and disorder. This will include, for example, projects where offenders are made to repair the damage they have done or to meet victims, as well as projects which offer young people constructive activities to keep them away from trouble.
"It is vital that the new fast-track hearings have at their disposal a full range of programmes which can be accessed quickly, and will provide the intensive supervision that young offenders need to change their behaviour.
"Extra training and support will be provided to Children's Panels in the pilot areas.
"The three areas which will pilot fast-tracking of under 16s have been chosen because they have strong youth justice teams and programmes in place to make the new hearings work, as well providing a good mix of urban and rural communities. The pilots will be fully funded to ensure the additional support needed by panels, reporters and youth justice teams is available.
"The fast-track hearings, together with the other elements of the youth crime Action Plan, will help reduce offending and go a long way to making our communities safer places to live ."
All local authorities involved have committed to providing a guaranteed place on an appropriate programme for all those going through the fast-track hearings. Pilot authorities are also committed to having the new system on track early in the New Year.
An implementation group involving all the key players - pilot authorities, police, children's panel chairs and the voluntary sector - is being set up.
The fast-track pilots are due to run from early 2003 for two years.
The CHOICE project provides intensive programmes for all young people in Dundee involved in persistent and serious offending and it aims to tackle their behaviour and divert them away from crime.