Alternatives to Secure Care and Custody: Guidance for Local Authorities, Community Planning Partnerships and Service Providers

This guidance is intended to provide an overview of ‘good practice’ for Local Authorities and community planning partners in relation to alternatives to secure care and custody. Scotland is internationally renowned for its welfare based response to children and young people who offend, but stands alone as the only western European country to routinely deal with 16 and 17 year olds in the adult criminal justice system and imprison this age group at a higher rate than elsewhere in Europe, contrary to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child 1. The Council of Europe have also ratified recommendations in the European Rules for Juvenile Offenders subject to Community Sanctions or Measures (June 2008) 2. These recommendations further reinforce the UN Conventions but currently do not bind the courts in Scotland.