The Independent Commission on Youth Crime and Antisocial Behaviour reports that restorative justice in Northern Ireland should provide the model for major changes to the youth justice system.
The commission, which carried out an 18-month study into alternative responses to youth crime, concludes that restorative meetings known as "youth conferencing" are the way to deliver better justice for the victims of crime, while cutting re-offending rates and custody numbers.
Its report, Time for a Fresh Start, estimates the cost of dealing with youth crime and anti-social behaviour as being more than £4bn each year.
It also argues that many millions of pounds are being wasted each year on custody for under-18s with each place costing taxpayers between £69,000 and £193,000 a year, but as many as three out of four young offenders are being re-convicted within a year of completing their sentence.
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