The government-backed initiative will see the pioneering youth peer panels manage meetings between young offenders and individuals or community representatives who have been affected by their behaviour.
The practice of restorative justice is becoming increasingly popular and is backed by agencies including the Youth Justice Board. Normally, however, the programmes are administered by adults. The partnership hopes young panel members will have more influence over their peers.
The panel members are drawn from local secondary schools and trained to deliver restorative justice conferences. They will be able to draw up acceptable behaviour contracts for offenders. One of the conditions in the contracts issued by the panel will be attendance at an eight-week "peer education programme" covering the consequences of crime and subjects such as bullying, binge drinking and truancy.
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