Prevention - supporting young people to avoid crime and anti-social behaviour

Staffordshire Youth Offending Service is working very closely with partner agencies in order to reduce youth crime within Staffordshire.

The Service has a dedicated Prevention Team which provides assessment and direct interventions to children and young people between the ages of 8-17 who have been identified as at risk of criminality or anti-social behaviour by a range of agencies both statutory and voluntary, and families themselves. Staff from the team are co-located across Staffordshire in a variety of settings. SYOS has a partnership with Children and Lifelong Learning Directorate to specifically improve the outcomes for looked after children, through a dedicated role within the Team.

Staffordshire has a Youth Crime and Anti-Social Behaviour Prevention Strategy 2006-09 and a multi-agency steering group, which includes the Police, district and borough councils, third sector, Connexions and Youth Service representatives, which oversees the delivery of services. SYOS is currently reviewing the Youth Crime Prevention Panel arrangements (formerly known as the YISP) and considering alligning it to other existing forums which focus on identifying and engaging similar groups of vulnerable young people. This is in line with discussions that are currently ongoing within Staffordshire in relation to the development of Targeted Youth Support and Integrated Youth Support Services more generally.

SYOS has implemented the Community Resolution Programme with Staffordshire Police to target young people who are arrested for the first time. The scheme provides opportunities for earlier intervention in the lives of children and young people who require ongoing support and guidance. A robust monitoring process is being developed and early indications suggest the Programme will have a significant impact upon recidivism rates, and improve victim satisfaction. Staffordshire Police have seconded a Police Officer to the Prevention Team to assist with the roll out of Community Resolution and a launch event is planned for the early 2009.

 Prevention Strategy (598kb)

Find out about the Prevention Project

 Prevention Referral Form

Last Modified: 01/10/2008 12:07:23
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