Youth culture

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Comment by Sandra Beeton on July 25, 2011 at 12:04

My understanding is that more than one RO avoids the conveyor belt into jail for offences that did not warrant jail in the first place. As such it is most welcome.

The terminolgy, I agree is confusing - especially now that magistrates are called Court Panel Members! -  but 'Neighbourhood Justice Panel' is the Government's preferred terminology , so your YOT is clearly making an important point, given the poor victim attendance level which has dogged panels since inception. 

Comment by Thomas J Gale on July 25, 2011 at 11:53

Some changes have been made to the Referral Order and Youth Offender Panels. First; A Young person (still 10-17 yr olds), can get more than one referral order now. This is a seriously damaging change; before it was us telling the young person that this is their chance to turn things around... but now it's not then can just keep on doing what they are doing and the effectiveness of what we do is seriously diminished. Second; the panels are now called "Restorative Meetings"... not Panels. This was because people (victims/offenders parents/etc...) had the perception that a "panel" was going to be like court. So they believe that "meetings" is a more appropriate word. But it's surprising how much a word can de-value a process.

Comment by Sandra Beeton on July 25, 2011 at 11:45

Good to see Thomas Bigging Up the practice of community justice panels. Having established the national charity supporting volunteer Panel Members in 2006 [www.aopm.co.uk] I confess it has been an uphill struggle to get the message over as to why panels are so effective and why RJ should be the default for young people involved in crime.

Indeed the Youth Crime Commission 2010 actively sought the abolition of referral orders [Time For a Fresh Start p64 ], but the change in government saved this valuable community resource, which delivers this most effective of all youth court orders in terms of reoffending rates. [Expansion of CJ Panels Proposal August 2010]

 

The Coalition now intends to extend neighbourhood justice panels into the ASB arena, wherein lies the beginnings of much youth crime and disorder - a move too long overdue. Hopefully the success story will now continue unabated, despite the shaky start.

Comment by Thomas J Gale on June 22, 2011 at 14:53

Yes we do use re-integrative shaming techniques through the use of restorative measures. It's a weird concept but yes we shame them positively back into the community, and the best way that's shown is through the acknowledgement between offender and community in the sense of managers of stores. I can't give too much detail but lets say the manager of a MacDonalds now has a good relationship with the young offender. 

 

The contracts are absolutely focused on the individual young person... we use a mix and match of a massive number of programs. Anger management, victim awareness, kinds of therapy sessions to deal with troubles, links with Connections and educational officers... the list really goes on.

 

The use of the panel relies completely on the offenders acknowledgement of the wrongs they have done, and on them complying  with the activities we are getting them to do.... if they sit there and shrug their shoulders then they go back to court... they have to realise that they have to buck up... or things are going to get bad. 

 

It's fine... I maybe have just started but I've been studying this for 3 years at uni. If you're interested in this subject then please have a look at my blogs on my profile page, they may be of great interest to you. =) 

Comment by Ciara Wild on June 22, 2011 at 14:45

That's really interesting.  I have also just had a look at the lecture notes about reintegrative shaming that you attached.  Do you apply many of those principals when you are sitting the panel or during the training?  I was wondering if applying criminal thinking styles might be complimentary to that and make any any contract aimed at putting things right even more specific to the young person involved targeting values, beliefs and ultimately attitude change.   Do you use programmes like enhanced thinking skills and reasoning and rehabilitation programmes?  Sorry I know you have only just started but I am intrigued.

Comment by Thomas J Gale on June 22, 2011 at 12:17

Ciara: I have finished training and have sat my first panel 2 days ago... it was great. The youths are surprisingly sweet and not as 'the media' would make out.. as I'm sure most people in this circle would imagine. Though I had 1 that did not go so well... and she didn't quite realise that we were there to help and that things would only get worse if she didn't help us, and she ran out... it was very painful to see =( 

 

Welcome to the group, hopefully you can get the information you are looking for and make some friends in the process. 

Comment by Ciara Wild on June 22, 2011 at 12:11

Hi there, I am just starting my Stage 2 Supervised Practice for Forensic Psychology after completing my masters.  I'm hoping to be sneaky and get ideas for my exemplars from all of the interesting discussions on crimspace and hopefully make some contacts who can help.

 

Thomas: Well done for the Youth Offender Panel training.  What will you be doing?

 

Rashid: Your PHD spunds really interesting.  I saw a great charity online based in East London that dose some similar work.  I'll try to find it again and post the link for you.

Comment by Rashid Aziz on May 3, 2011 at 14:22

Nice pic Tom lol

Comment by Thomas J Gale on April 23, 2011 at 13:46

Comment by Rashid Aziz on March 28, 2011 at 15:29

Nice one Tom!

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