“New strategies to address youth offending: The national evaluation of the pilot youth offending teams.”

Source: (2001) RDS Occasional Paper No. 69. London, UK: Home Office; Research, Development and Statistics Directorate.

In the late 1990s, the Home Office in the United Kingdom established a number of pilot, youth offending teams to explore a new approach to youth offending. Based on the Crime and Disorder Act 1998, these youth offending teams were charged with carrying out new powers and statutory arrangements to deal with young offenders. The approach to youth offending advanced through the Act consists of several elements: an emphasis on prevention and on offending behavior; early interventions; the systematic use of evidence-based practice; and reparation with respect to the needs of victims. This research document combines three reports evaluating the pilot teams. The first report deals with elements and processes in establishing a youth offending team. The second report concerns further matters related to development of the teams while emphasizing the culture of work that fits with the requirements of the Act. The third report details new legal and other provisions employed by the teams. Using interviews and case study data, the researchers examine both criminal justice and administrative aspects of the work of the youth offending teams.