The YJB had secured funding for a project to design and build a new case management system for youth offending teams (YOTs) from the Office of Criminal Justice Reform.

The system, earmarked for development between 2008 and 2011 through the Wiring Up Youth Justice programme, was intended to allow YOTs to analyse data on young offenders, superseding existing systems.

It is understood around £4.5m had been spent on the project to date.

No further developement will take place, meaning a saving of £2.5m.

The parts of the system that have been completed will still be able to be used by YOTs.

Gareth Jones, vice chair of the Association of Youth Offending Managers, said finished aspects of the software that are currently being used by YOTs have received good feedback.

"It seemed a very useful addition for any YOT managers to choose from for their case management requirements as it was designed primarily by practitioners.

"The systems we have at the moment are not as user-friendly as they should be."

YJB chief executive John Drew said: "Following the withdrawal of funding from the Office for Criminal Justice Reform, the project to deliver a new Youth Offending Team Case Management Service in its current form is ending.

"The YJB is now looking at opportunities and options to maximise return on public investment to date and to improve YOT case management and information sharing."

Last month the YJB was criticised in relation to the project after it emerged it may have overspent by millions of pounds.

A report by the National Audit Office stated that private software firm CACI offered to develop a new system for £1m.