25th October 2011
The Irish Youth Justice Service has released its annual report which details the progress achieved in 2010 on the goals and objectives set out in the National Youth Strategy 2008-2010. This strategy sets out the Governments policy on youth crime in Ireland.
The report demonstrates the positive progress made with the Garda Youth Diversion Projects which now focus more on dealing with local crime problems. The report also demonstrates IYJS's continued support of the Young Persons Probation Service in promoting the use of non-custodial interventions and community sanctions for young people involved in the criminal justice system. Furthermore, the report elaborates on the development of an Education Strategy by the Department of Education and Skills which will ensure adequate provision for the education of detained children who are often excluded from mainstream education.
The report highlights the increased number of young people being diverted from the criminal justice system with an 11% increase since 2009 in the number of young people engaged in the Garda Youth Diversion Projects. However, there has been no improvement in the number of young persons being admitted to detention schools, with 125 young persons admitted in 2010. This is an increase on the 2009 figure, which stood at 114.109 children were detained on remand in 2009. This figure stood at 104 in 2010.
Read the Irish Youth Justice Service Annual Report 2010 here.
Respect for rights in the penal system with prison as a last resort.