The plans, unveiled last week in the Criminal Justice and ImmigrationBill, include the creation of a youth rehabilitation order, which bringstogether a number of existing community sentences. The aim of the orderis to offer courts a greater choice in community punishments, such assupervision and curfews.
In addition, the Bill outlines plans to extend the adult conditionalcaution scheme to 16- and 17-year-old offenders. The scheme gives theCrown Prosecution Service an alternative to taking people to court byissuing a caution with a condition, such as making reparations.
Campaigners for reform of youth justice welcomed the plans. TheChildren's Society's policy director Kathy Evans described the Bill as a"chance to reverse policies that have created a high population of youthin custody, including the 800 per cent increase in under-15s in custodysince 1994.
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