Cutting cash for youth crime prevention risks increase in offending, say MPs

Published by Ross Macmillan for 24dash.com in Communities

Cutting funding for youth crime prevention work will risk an increase in offending, a powerful committee of MPs warned today.

The cost of any reduction in funding was "likely to outweigh any short-term savings", the Public Accounts Committee said.

The committee also expressed concerns about plans to axe the Youth Justice Board, warning that some of its achievements in tackling crime by young people could be jeopardised.

In its report on the youth justice system the cross-party committee praised the board for its "central role" in reducing offending.

The board is to be abolished as part of the Government's "bonfire of the quangos" but the report warned "there is a risk that some of the factors that made the board successful will be lost in transition".

The report continued: "The abolition of the board raises a question about how a national focus on reducing offending by young people and reducing the use of custody will be maintained."

Around 10% of the £800 million of the central and local government funding for tackling youth crime in 2009-10 was spent on prevention.

The report said: "Prevention work has had an impact on reducing the number of first time entrants to the youth justice system, but funding is being reduced.

"Cutting prevention funding now increases the risk of the unintended consequence that more crime could occur in the medium term, with the cost likely to outweigh any short term savings."

The MPs called on the board and the Ministry of Justice to encourage investment in prevention where reducing youth crime has been identified as a local priority.

The committee found that youths who were sent to prison or given serious community sentences remained "highly likely" to reoffend.

Around one third of the assessment and sentence plans carried out by Youth Offending Teams were "not good enough" and there was "limited" evidence of what interventions work.

The committee's Labour chairwoman Margaret Hodge said: "The youth justice system has been successful over the last 10 years in reducing the number of criminal offences committed by young people.

"The number of young people held in custody has also fallen, at a time when adult custody figures have been rising.

"We commend the Youth Justice Board for the central role it has played in these achievements.

"There are still areas of significant concern, however. The reoffending rate for young people who have left custody has fallen only slightly - with three out of four offending again within a year. There has also been an increase in the numbers of more serious crimes committed by young offenders.

"What is needed is proper evidence of which interventions with young offenders work best in making inroads on youth crime. Without such evidence, reductions in funding for front-line services might result in cuts to the most successful interventions.

"Given its decision last year to abolish the Youth Justice Board, it will be for the Ministry of Justice to maintain the national focus on reducing offending by young people and reducing the use of custody.

"It will not help that funding for work to prevent youth crime is being cut."

A Ministry of Justice spokesman said: "The Government is committed to tackling youth crime, reducing reoffending and providing a more cost effective service for the public.

"We are investing significantly in a youth justice system that focuses on prevention, public protection and improved rehabilitation.

"As part of this we are consulting on proposals for youth justice reform in the 'Breaking the Cycle' Green paper.

"The YJB has successfully fulfilled its remit of transforming the system.

"By integrating them into MoJ we will gain the experience and knowledge necessary to allow us to lead a youth justice system that protects the public whilst also focusing on the particular needs of children and young people."