§ Lord Merlyn-Reesasked Her Majesty's Government:
When the Youth Justice Board will publish its annual review for 2001–02. [HL5156]
§ The Minister of State, Home Office (Lord Falconer of Thoroton)The Youth Justice Board annual review for 2001–02 has today been laid before Parliament. Copies have been placed in the Library. The Youth Justice Board was established in 1998 by the Crime and Disorder Act to reform the youth justice system. The annual review provides evidence of success in meeting the principal aim of the reformed youth justice system to prevent offending.
The Government's pledge to halve the time from arrest to sentence for persistent young offenders has been achieved. It has been reduced from an average time of 142 days in 1997 to 67 days in the first quarter of 2002.
The review shows that effective use has been made of police final warnings, bail supervision and support programmes, robust new sentences and the new intensive surveillance and supervision programme to reduce reoffending.
The review also presents evidence that targeted prevention work with young people at risk, use of parenting programmes and education, employment and training initiatives are effective to prevent and reduce offending rates.