This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Scotland’s first Youth Court continues
15/06/2005
Scotland's first Youth Court for dealing with persistent young offenders is to be extended for a further 12 months.
This follows the publication today of an independent report outlining the success of the Hamilton Youth Court pilot.
Justice Minister Cathy Jamieson said:
"I am delighted that Scotlands first Youth Court has successfully completed its two-year pilot.
"Though the impact of the Youth Court on offending among young people will take longer to establish, this initial research is certainly encouraging and I am happy to extend the pilot for a further year. I hope we can build on what has been a positive start and that the court can continue to strengthen its position.
"Reducing youth crime is one of our biggest priorities and the Hamilton Youth Court pilot has contributed to meeting this challenge in an innovative and effective way. It has shown that it is possible to have a more efficient and effective system to deal with the problem of persistent offending by young people, and has reduced the time taken between an offence being committed and appearance in court.
"The Youth Court has benefited from the dedicated input of criminal justice agencies, which has allowed young offenders to be dealt with efficiently. This is an excellent example of how, by working together, we can rid Scotland of the blight of persistent offending.
"While punishment is a key part of the youth justice process, the problems that lead to crimes being committed in the first place must also be addressed. We will not turn our backs on young people. We will give them the chances to get their lives back on track, but we will also act swiftly and firmly to deal with the consequences of their behaviour. To do otherwise would be to fail the young person as well as the community.
"I am pleased to see that this approach seems to be delivering effective outcomes and has a part in the delivery of a safer, stronger Scotland. And if the evidence from Hamilton - and from the second pilot in Airdire - continues to build a clear and strong case then we will not hesitate to consider extending the benefits of the scheme across Scotland."
The youth court pilot was extended to Airdrie Youth Court on 1 June 2004. Like the Hamilton pilot, the Airdrie pilot will run for two years and will be evaluated throughout.