National Youth Agency: Comment -- Caught in the system

I came to the National Youth Agency from a local authority. One of the driving forces for me was my frustration with witnessing the adverse impact on young people from substantial cuts in local service provision. Services were cut to such an extent that there was little local youth provision for young people, and therefore few legitimate places for young people to hang around and participate in targeted or universal youth provision.

As a result, and over a short period of time due to both public and political pressure, young people became increasingly subject to community safety measures such as dispersals, designated public place orders (alcohol-free zones) and ultrasonic teenage deterrent devices. A small number were subject to civil and criminal interventions. Where local authorities are considering reducing youth service provision, proper consideration should be given to identifying and minimising the potential and negative impacts upon young people to prevent them being drawn unnecessarily into the criminal justice system.