Young offenders, or young people who are at risk of committing crime, can get help and support from the Youth Offending Service.

The Youth Offending Service is a team of professionals, set up by the government and local organisations, who are working together to prevent youth crime. The team is made of:

• social workers
• probation officers
• police officers
• education workers
• health workers
• referral order co-ordinators
• parenting co-ordinators
• youth workers
• administrative staff.

Aims of the Youth Offending Service

The Youth Offending Service works to national standards guidelines issued by the Youth Justice Board.

We aim to:

• ensure the swift administration of justice so that every young person accused of breaking the law is helped without delay
• confront the young offender with the consequence of their offending for themselves, their families, communities and the victims of their offences
• provide support and structured programmes of work, which tackles the circumstances that put young people at risk of offending (personal, social, health and education)
• work with courts in partnership to ensure sentences are proportionate to the seriousness of the offences
• encourage reparation to victims by young offenders
• work in partnership with parents to reduce re-offending by their children
• provide all Youth Offending Team services within the context of our equal opportunities policies.