19th August 2010
The Diversion Programme is a package of measures for dealing with children aged between ten and eighteen years, who commit an offences or offences. These measures include such interventions as administering a caution, placing the child under Garda supervision, placing the child on a Garda Youth Diversion Project, facilitating a meeting between the child and any victim of their offending behaviour or engaging in counselling.
The 2009 Annual Report details the findings of the Committee appointed to monitor the effectiveness of the programme. It breaks down the number of incidents and individual children that have been referred to the programme and the type of offences that have been committed. In addition, it also highlights the positive development of methods of restorative justice that are available for dealing with young offenders throughout the country.
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Respect for rights in the penal system with prison as a last resort.