NCJ Number
177650
Date Published
1998
Length
66 pages
Annotation
This conference focused on ways for local juvenile justice authorities to implement the youth provisions of the British Crime and Disorder Act 1998.
Abstract
The Minister of State at the Home Office reviewed the impact of the Act. He noted that generally the Crime and Disorder Act provides for a wide range of powers to address antisocial behavior and criminality. It establishes in each locality mechanisms to bring police, local government, and the community together to measure local needs and respond appropriately. The focus of the youth provisions of the Act is on delinquency prevention and early intervention to curtail escalation to more serious crime. The Act established the Youth Justice Board and youth offending teams. This effort is designed to provide national leadership while ensuring that there is effective local interagency cooperation. A number of the papers at the conference addressed the practical aspects of such interagency cooperation. One paper dealt with the need to conduct community audits that will document the specific types of crime problems present in the community, so that crime-reduction strategies target these problems. Some sample audit reports are appended.