Scheme helps win war on youth offending in Glasgow
The number of crimes committed by young people in Glasgow has fallen by almost a third in the past two years. And a new report shows the amount of serious violent offences committed by teenagers in the city has dropped by 11%.
This is due in no small measure to the city’s Youth Justice Strategy Group which has responsibility for planning and developing services for young people involved in offending.
It is made up of representatives from Glasgow City Council’s social work and education services, health, police, the Children’s Reporter, Glasgow Community & Safety Services and Culture & Sport Glasgow.
In its 2008/09 report it reveals 2,077 young offenders were referred to the Children’s Reporter on 4,570 occasions … 29% down on 2006/07.
Last year, 1% of young people in the city committed 10% of all youth crime but the number of under-18s involved in serious violent offences fell by 11%.
Strategy group chairman Neil Hunter said: “Although we are pleased to be able to report youth crime is falling year-on-year, the city is still focusing on preventing and diverting young people away from offending.
“Only a small proportion of young people go on to an entrenched pattern of offending or commit serious offences but we also know these young people can cause concern for their victims, families and communities.
“Sending young people to prison or secure care does not create the results communities want to see. Such measures can increase a young person’s offending.
“While we realise some will need to be sent to secure accommodation or custody for their own or the community’s safety, where possible we try to manage these young people safely and effectively in the community.”
One way of doing that is to electronically tag young offenders, ensuring they remain at home for up to 12 hours a day.
The young person receives an intensive package of support for up to 50 hours a week.
The Intensive Support and Monitoring Service is intended to provide a community-based alternative to secure accommodation or custody.
During 2008/09, 42 young people were the subject of an ISMS order with around half monitored by electronic tag.
An evaluation of the service showed offending was cut by more than 50%.
The scheme is being extended to provide courts with an alternative to remand for some young people.
At the decision of the Sheriff, a young person who might otherwise have been remanded could receive a bail order with a condition of co-operating with the ISMS.
The young person will be expected to comply with the order or risk being returned to court.
Mr Hunter added: “The city is keen to offer this service as we know that for many young people, remand is not very effective.
“Young people who have not yet been convicted may lose their college placement or job, they may create new antisocial relationships while on remand and often their links with their families or communities are severed.
“Considering few young people on remand go on to receive a custodial sentence, they are quickly returned to the community without many of the supportive or protective factors they had before.
“This creates conditions that are more likely to lead to further offending.
“While we recognise remand is necessary for a very small number of young people, for many more we offer a multi-agency intensive package of support while they are on bail, aimed at changing their behaviour.”
The flagship service is estimated to cost 80% less than sending a young person into secure care.
Mr Hunter added: “It is better to tackle problems such as offending at an early stage.”
In a bid to further target youth offending, a scheme is being tried out in the west and north of the city. It can currently handle up to 50 young people but if it is successful it will be rolled out across the city next year.
The community-based project is designed to work with young people displaying difficult or challenging behaviour.
This can include children who offend, misuse substances or those who have parents with poor parenting skills.
Mr Hunter said: “The range of services will continue to reduce young people’s offending and make Glasgow a safer and more inclusive place.”
Reasons to be cheerful
The number of under 18s in Glasgow identified by Strathclyde Police as having committed an offence last year:
Attempted murder, serious assault, robbery, threats – 343 (down 11%)
Indecency – 39 (down 35%)
Housebreaking, theft, fraud, other dishonesty – 1541 (up 3%)
Fire raising, vandalism, malicious mischief – 1209 (down 15%)
Possession of offensive weapon, knife carrying, drugs offences – 2476 (down 17%)
Petty assault, breach of the peace, consuming alcohol – 6782 (down 5%)
Driving offences – 396 (down 20%)
Total – 12,786 (down 9%)
Support group is no easy number for the wayward
By Sarah Swain
For young offenders, attending the Intensive Support and Monitoring Service is an alternative to jail or secure care … but it’s no soft option.
Sean McKendrick, manager of the service said: “We’ve managed to keep people, who would otherwise be locked up, in their community.
“It’s not an easy option for them. We are making people accountable for their behaviour. They have to face the consequences rather than being away from the environment that caused or added to their problems.”
One youth who has been there for five months said: “This was one of my bail conditions. I came here instead of being remanded for 140 days.”
The Anderston 17-year-old has been remanded twice for robbery and assault but now has a paid placement in building skills at Rathbone Training.
He said of ISMS: “They support you and give you a chance. They talk to you about how you started offending.
“Even if I wasn’t in jail I wouldn’t have got a job.”
Social Worker Geroge Lyons said: “If they didn’t fully engage here it would be breach of their bail conditions and they’d go back to court.”
