About Youth Justice
The best way to stop young people from re-offending is to stop them from committing the crime in the first instance. We aim to tackle the main risk factors that might lead a young individual to become involved in crime or anti social behaviour. These risk factors include:
- No or a lack of education
- Substance misuse
- Family or relationship issues
- Social crowd – having peers that have offended
We don’t just target those who are offending, but also young people who are at high risk of offending.
Prevention
By tackling the issues above and intervening at a early stage we can reduce the amount of young people falling into the life of crime by giving them the knowlege, skills and confidence that will help them to stay clear of the path of crime.
YIP – Youth Inclusion Project
The ‘Youth Inclusion Projects’ which operates in 110 of the most deprived and crime striken areas of England and Wales were established in 2000. They provide programs that are specially made for 8 to 17 year olds who are believed to be at risk of offending or becoming involved in anti-social behaviour.
Working with the police and other local agencies, 50 teenagers were selected to become the focus of the YIP, with an additional 150 other young individuals aged between 10 and 17 who are also being provided support by our small team.
According to local police figures since the scheme was set up 12 months ago, arrest rates among the teenagers on the estate have decreased by a staggering 70% and in addition statistics show that crime as a whole has lowered by 31%.
Matthew, one of the original 50 young people to be targeted by YIP was interested in the DJ workshop which was made available by the YIP team.
I went from being taught how to DJ to becoming a neighbourhood warden – it was a progressive route… DJ’ing is what kept me out of prison… They caught me at the right time. YIP has given me confidence and maturity. Now I’ve got respect for people – and from people.
The YIP scheme is not just about crime prevention, it’s also about providing opportunities and options. The program helps to harness and channel the talent of the young people, charting a course for their own development and giving them access to their own goals.
Currently we provide teenagers from the Rochdale area with sessions and courses in DJing, Mechanics, Arts and Sports.