Decision details

To consider and recommend to Council the updated Youth Justice Strategy

1.  The Southampton Youth Offending Service provides statutory interventions to young people and plays a principal role in tackling crime committed by young people aged 10 to 17 years. Our key areas of work are reducing youth re-offending, the number of young people entering the criminal justice system (first time entrants) and the number of young people entering custody. The strategy attached has been developed with partners within the city with responsibility for assisting and contributing to this aim and summarises the key actions needed in order to be successful.

2.  The strategy is completely reflective of the more in depth document which was endorsed by all statutory partners contributing to Youth Justice in the city in August 2017. It is reflective of the document submitted and commended by the Youth Justice Board (‘YJB’) in August 2017 and is reflective of the published document that has been available to the public in the House of Commons Library since September 2017. The priorities within the strategy reflect key performance indicators which need to be addressed locally and which also reflect themes set out within the Safer City strategy.

Failure to endorse the plan could result in removal of YJB Effective Practice Grant which would have significant financial and reputational impact upon the Local Authority.