NCJ Number
212510
Date Published
2005
Length
80 pages
Annotation
This document reviews the juvenile remand and pre-trial services process in England and Wales and provides best practices guidance for multidisciplinary youth offending teams (YOTs).
Abstract
Remand and pre-trial services in England and Wales serve the primary purpose of diverting nonserious juvenile offenders away from custodial remands and managing this population of youthful offenders while they await trial or sentencing. Remand management should be carried out systematically and should work toward reducing the inappropriate use of custody, increasing juvenile attendance at court, reducing delays due to non-appearance, fast-tracking appropriate cases, and preventing offending while on bail. Aspects involved in remand management are reviewed, including a review of bail legislation, the involvement of parents/caregivers in recidivism prevention, and the provision of appropriate adults to juvenile offenders as a safeguard of their rights. Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (PACE) transfers for young people denied bail are discussed in terms of effective practices for avoiding the need for a PACE transfer and for completing the PACE transfer when it is necessary. Effective practices for improving the quality and quantity of information available to the courts is outlined followed by effective practices for bail supervision and support, which ideally incorporate the views and opinions of the young offenders. Practitioners’ role in the process of remand to local authority accommodation is described, as is the importance of practitioners assessing risk among young people who have been remanded to secure facilities. Finally, the key components of a remand strategy are enumerated. Bibliography