1. Priority Youth Offender Project Alice Chapman Director Youth Conference Service Youth Justice Agency

2. 2 year pilot commencing operation 06/04/09 Greater Belfast region

3. Targetted, intensive intervention with young people who:- commit serious/harmful offences e.g.car theft violence sexually harmful behaviour

4. persist in their offending e.g.referred for 3 rd Youth Conference for 4 th re-offence receive probation supervision are leaving custody

5. Developing and Enhancing integrated assessment effective monitoring measured non-compliance response restorative practices desistance focus Good Lives model

6. Introducing - Circles of support -Restorative practices - Strengthening Families - Good Lives Group Work

7. The restorative Youth Conference 70 % of referrals is via the Youth Conference What is a Youth Conference

8. LEGISLATION JUSTICE{NI}ACT 2002 COURT PPS. Youth Conference Coordinator, PSNI, y.p. responsible adult,appropriate others, victim, victim supporter,lawyer

9. Apologise verbally or in writing Make reparation for the offence/victim or community Payment to victim Submit to supervision of an adult Perform unpaid work/service Participate in activities [offending, education, substance misuse] Submit to restrictions on conduct or whereabouts including remaining at a particular place Electronic monitoring Submit to treatment

10. Other professionals Legal representative an advisory role set in the Justice Act 2002

11. What are Circles of Support and Accountability How do they work

12. Types of referrals Offences Number of referrals Typical Youth Conference Orders requirements Probation Orders

13. BENEFITS 1. Increased confidence of public, victims and judiciary 2. Reduction in delay of reports to Court 3. Reduction in re-offending (decreasing seriousness and increasing times crime-free) 4. Increased efficiencies in Youth Justice 5. Increased participation and influence of victims

14. What they said Young people 8 out of 10 young people --- wanted to make up for what they had done 8 out of 10 wanted the victim to forgive them 7 out of 10 wanted to hear what the victim had to say Victims 8 out of 10 wanted to hear what the young person had to say 8 out of 10 wanted the young person to hear how their actions affected them 7 out of 10 wanted to help the young person 5 out of 10 wanted an apology 5 out of 10 wanted to hear why they were victimised Families 4 out of 5 would recommend a conference to other families

15. Early Outcomes Victim attendance @74% Circles of Support and Accountability @54 % Pilot stakeholders seeing benefits Families reporting positively