Glasgow is pioneering a scheme to tackle crime amongst under 16s with a new system of restorative justice being launched today. It will ensure that the 5000 young people who commit offences every year in the city are given the opportunity to face up to their actions and make amends for anti-social behaviour, petty crime and dishonesty.
The new system will take effect citywide from today, (26 August 2003), when Glasgow will become the first city in Scotland to adopt it permanently as part of a wider criminal justice strategy.
In a four-week period during July and August 2003 over 750 referrals were made to the Children's Panel. Young people aged between 12 and 15 years of age commit the majority of these offences and under this new system may be required to confront victims face to face.
The idea to establish this system in Glasgow was first put forward by the City Council's Community Safety Partnership and was developed over two years. Restorative justice has proved successful at reducing re-offending amongst this age group in many other countries including Australia, New Zealand, the USA and Switzerland.
The service has received just under a million pounds in funding over two years from the Scottish Executive, through the Better Neighbourhood Services Fund and the Restorative Justice Grant. A team of ten specialist staff at Glasgow City Council will work closely with the police, fire service, health board and children's panel to implement the programme and the first referrals will be made immediately.
Councillor Jim Coleman, Deputy Leader of Glasgow City Council, said: "This is the culmination of two years work from a partnership led by the City Council. It's a completely new approach to dealing with offenders under sixteen in Glasgow and will significantly improve the quality of life for thousands of residents as well as preventing many young people progressing to more serious offending in later life.
"Youth crime is a priority for people in Glasgow and they want the problem tackled effectively. No other council in Scotland has gone as far to address the issue and I'm sure that many will be keen to copy this approach in the years ahead when the positive results of large-scale restorative justice become apparent."
Alan Speirs, Head of the Restorative Justice Service at Glasgow City Council, says:
"This is a big city with a youth offending problem to match. Glasgow accounts for about 30% of all offences referred to the Reporter to the Children's Panel in Scotland. At present very little or nothing is done to confront under 16s involved in disorder and petty crime and most people find this unacceptable. Restorative justice will change all that from today."
The system has three main stages designed to address different levels of offending. The first level is a restorative caution, designed to look at the reasons for offending and hopefully steer the young person away from this type of behaviour. The second stage involves a conference with the offender, their family and those affected by their actions where the young person may come face to face with the victim. This process of confronting the victim has been very effective at changing offending behaviour elsewhere.
At the third and final level, for those carrying 3-4 offences, young people will participate in a four week course - two hour sessions three times a week - designed to challenge behaviour and stop repeat offending. The programme may also include practical work in the community delivered by a number of agencies including Glasgow City Council Youth Services and Building Services as well as the Police, Fire Service and Greater Glasgow NHS Board.
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