Youth offending levels fall by a fifth in Hull

A week-long inspection of the Hull Youth Justice Service (YJS) also found 74 per cent of young offenders, aged between 10 and 18 years old and managed by the Hull youth justice system, are "less likely to reoffend" compared with an average of 69 per cent across England and Wales.

The core case inspection, carried out in July this year by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Probation, looked into 62 of the more serious recent cases of youth offending in Hull.

A team of six inspectors examined the case files in detail and interviewed youth justice officers and victims of youth crime about the service.

An extract from the foreword of the subsequent report said: "It was very positive to note the work undertaken in Hull.

"We saw some good individual efforts by staff with children and young people who were difficult to engage, resulting in positive changes.

"The interventions had been designed to reduce the likelihood of reoffending and were of good quality."

Nick Metcalfe, the service manager of the Hull YJS, said: "We are committed to preventing youth crime and reducing youth reoffending in order to protect the public, and I am very pleased and proud that the report highlights the good work being undertaken by the service." 

Twenty children and young people completed a questionnaire for the inspection.

All of the children and young people who took part reported that they felt staff had listened to them and  taken the time to explain how the YJS could help them.

When asked what had got better in their lives as a result of going to the YJS, over half of the children and young people said school, training and the prospect of getting a job had improved. Other areas included making better decisions, family and relationships, understanding their offending and lifestyles. Only one young person felt that nothing had improved.

Comments included: "I stopped smoking and drinking and I stopped taking any drugs."

When asked what had made them less likely to reoffend, one young person said: "The youth offending courses have helped me get a better understanding of what opportunities I have and also I have learned to control my emotions."

The Hull Youth Justice Service is a partnership including Hull City Council, Humberside Police, the Humberside Probation Trust Service, NHS Hull, and the ONE Hull Strategic Partnership.