The Work of Youth Offending Teams to Protect the Public

In this inspection we examined the work done by Youth Offending Teams (YOTs) with young people convicted of violent and other serious offences. We focused on the work done to protect the public from the risk of harm, and found YOTs protecting the public well, and also doing good work to change young people’s lives for the better. However, with some specific changes and help, they could do better still.

Most young people who commit serious crimes have had disturbing and traumatic experiences themselves, during childhood, and a good number are now in the care of their local authority. It is well understood that these young people are more likely to get into difficulties, and offend, and once in trouble they are less likely than others to trust adults or to respond to any help on offer, unless it takes account of their experiences. We have taken the unusual step of reproducing the inspector’s comments on the trauma found in each relevant case. These short summaries, in Appendix 2, bring to life the many difficult experiences this group have faced as they have grown up. We found YOT staff working sensitively and intuitively with them, but with insufficient formal planning, or good, up to date and well-ordered guidance and support materials. Given the prevalence of trauma for these young people, there is a strong case for all YOTs to adopt what is known as trauma-informed practice. In doing so, they would be more likely to improve the life chances of some of the most troubled and challenging young people in society today. YOTs need assistance, support and guidance to make this change.

Social media is a large part of young people’s lives, and we found it featured often enough in the build up to a serious offence. Many of these young people shun Facebook and other common applications, in favour of lesser known and, therefore, more private media. We found offence scenarios inconceivable just a few years ago, with social media used to both incite and plan crime. YOTs need help to catch up. There is not enough relevant and up to the minute advice and information available nationally to help them work with those whose offending is directly linked and fuelled by social media, but there are pockets of good material and experience that could be tapped. There is also a strong case for monitoring the social media output of young people who pose a risk to others, so as to protect others sufficiently well.

Otherwise, we found YOTs doing a good job. The staff we interviewed were almost all competent and committed. YOTs are using new assessment and planning materials effectively, although in our view they could do more to incorporate the views of young people in their plans, and to develop robust intervention plans. YOTs
are also working well to protect victims, if necessary by setting exclusion or curfew conditions, and taking enforcement action when needed to keep people safe.

Making a difference to the life chances of these damaged young people is difficult, but we found positive progress in a good half of the cases we inspected. There is still more that can be done, however, to respond more effectively to the trauma that has often blighted their lives, and to understand and track their use of social
media, and its impact on their offending. Both the national Youth Justice Board and local YOT Management Boards have the opportunity to develop the skills and knowledge of YOT staff in this way.