How are youth offenders dealt with in the UK legal system?

June 1st, 2010 by admin

The age of criminal responsibility is currently ten years old. Any offender under the age of 17 is classified as a young offender. Because of their age they receive special treatment by the courts.
The police and the courts will always attempt in the first instance of an offence to deal with the offender without the courts. Youth offenders can be dealt with using Anti-Social Behaviour Orders (ASBOs) or child safety orders that punish the offender without involving the courts. The police also have the power to issue reprimands and warnings to young offenders.However, if the young offender can’t be controlled with ASBOs for instance, or if police warnings have no effect, or if the offence is particularly serious, then the courts will become involved. The Youth Court is a special part of the Magistrates’ Court and hears all but the most serious youth offending cases. The judges that preside over the Youth Court have special training to handle these cases.
Any youth offender found guilty at a Youth Court could receive a custodial sentence of up to 24 months or a community sentence. The Youth Court often favours the use of community sentences as this can involve a level of reparation to the community that the young offender caused stress or damage to. The Magistrate can order the young offender to do unpaid work up to a maximum of 400 hours under the Community Payback scheme, or attend a treatment programme for any drug or alcohol problems they may have.
If the crime that the young offender has committed is very serious it will not normally be heard at the Youth Court, as the Magistrate will not have the power to hand down longer sentences to the offender. These cases of youth offending will go before the Crown Court. These types of cases are for crimes that are called ‘indictable only’ offences such as rape or murder. Young offenders can receive heavy punishments and must always be represented by a criminal solicitor.