NCJ Number
212192
Date Published
November 2005
Length
72 pages
Annotation
This 2004-05 Annual Report of the Youth Justice Board (YJB) for England and Wales presents information and data on goals, performance, challenges, and finances.
Abstract
The YJB oversees the youth justice system in England and Wales. Among the YJB's significant achievements for 2004-05 were new funding for targeted juvenile crime prevention programs; a substantial investment in drug treatment services for juveniles in custody; the launching of 50 new Resettlement and Aftercare Programs for youth with drug abuse problems; the participation of 5,000 juvenile offenders in intensive community sentences, which exceeded YJB's target; the participation of nearly 10,000 crime victims in restorative justice processes; the participation of 2,700 staff members in improving their qualifications; a continued reduction in the average time to bring a chronic juvenile offender to justice; and a modest reduction in reconviction rates for juveniles. A promising trend that should enhance YJB's work with youth is the implementation of neighborhood policing, which should increase the involvement of neighborhoods, schools, and families in the prevention of antisocial behavior. Also, the Children Act 2004 and the formation of children's trusts should enhance the coordination of early prevention work. There are a range of problems, however, that must be addressed to prevent them from becoming entrenched. The number of youth in secure custody has not declined despite efforts to use it only as a last resort, and there is slow progress in increasing the involvement of juvenile offenders in community-based education and training programs. 18 tables and a chart that summarizes performance against targets for 2004-05