ISSP the Initial Report

Source: (2004) London: Youth Justice Board

Young offenders eligible for ISSP may be under community sentences , on bail, or in the community phase of a Detention and Training Order. ISSP involves a variety of components that include assessment, education and training, tracking (regular contact), tagging (electronic monitoring), and restorative justice. It combines supervision with surveillance in an effort to manage the risk faced by young offenders and meet their needs through continual reassessment. Forty-one ISSP programs were started in July 2001 under the following stated objectives: a 5-percent reduction in the rate of reoffending in the target group and a reduction in the seriousness of reoffending; the targeting of the underlying problems of the youth, with an emphasis on educational needs; and consistent and rigorous supervision and surveillance. The evaluation found that by February 2002, all programs were operational; and by the end of the evaluation, the focus had shifted from implementation to improving the quality and consistency of delivery. Regional evaluators monitored and collected data directly from the programs, which included extensive information on the youths’ needs and circumstances. For comparison purposes, data were collected from a number of non-ISSP cases. The evaluation found significant progress for the youth in areas such as education services, employment changes, family relationships, housing, and attitudes toward crime and crime victims; however, long-term reinforcement of the positive changes is required beyond the scope of ISSP. A comparison of offending data in the 12 months before and after the start of ISSP showed a marked reduction both in the frequency and seriousness of offending. Abstract courtesy of the National Criminal Justice Reference Service, www.ncjrs.gov.