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Leicester, Leicestershire & Rutland

End of Phase One Report May 2014

Executive Summary

& Conclusion

CONTENTS

2

Contents

Background to the Young Adults Project (YAP) .......................................................................................................................................... 3

Executive Summary ................................................................................................................................................................................................... 5

Conclusion and Recommendations ................................................................................................................................................................. 11

BACKGROUND

3

Background to the Young

Adults Project (YAP)

YAP was established by the Leicester, Leicestershire

and Rutland Reducing Reoffending Board (RRB) in

October 2013. This was in response to Sir Clive

Loader, Police and Crime Commissioner, identifying

young adults as a priority group within the Police

and Crime Plan, 2013-2017, based on the evidence

that they are involved in a disproportionately high

amount of crime. This long-standing issue was also

a concern shared by partners. With this in mind, the

RRB agreed the first phase of the Project, an

exploratory phase aimed at gaining a deeper

understanding of the offending and needs of 16-24

year olds locally and examining the evidence as to

what is effective in reducing their offending and

reoffending.

Chaired by the Chief Executive of the Y, Leicester, a

multi-agency Project Board first met in November

2013. A Senior Probation Officer seconded to the

Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner (OPCC)

was assigned as Project Manager and managers

from County YOS, the Police, the OPCC and the Y-

Pod were identified as leads for the work stream

outlined below.

It was agreed that Phase 1 would focus on:

1. The gathering and analysis of relevant local

data provided by partner organisations

2. The involvement of young adults and the

analysis and incorporation of their feedback,

ideas and views

3. An exploration of the available research and

literature (including good practice guides and

site visits to innovative pilot projects) to obtain

evidence over what matters and what works

with this group

4. A mapping out of the current system, practices

and services to identify strengths of our

collective approach, any gaps and areas for

improvement.

5. The commencement of the engagement phase

and the development of a communications

strategy

In terms of planned and agreed outputs, Phase 1

was tasked with delivering the following:

1. A local data set (with analysis) relating to young

adults in the Criminal Justice System including

offending, reoffending, victim and needs data.

2. A written summary outlining the evidence-base

for what matters and what works in achieving

positive outcomes/reducing offending and

reoffending amongst this group.

3. The establishment of a Young Adult

Involvement System to inform Phase 1 but also

continue to underpin and shape local

developments in service delivery.

4. An outline and understanding of the current

system (including services and the transitions

between young person and adult services) and

an analysis of strengths and gaps.

5. Evidence-based recommendations including

recommended changes to service delivery

aimed at achieving better outcomes.

6. An Engagement and Communications strategy

to build levels of awareness of the Project

(locally and nationally) and increase

engagements with a wider range of

stakeholders.

In order to ensure the achievement of the agreed

outputs, five inter-related work streams were

established: Data Gathering and Analysis, Literature

Review and Effective Practice, Young Adult

Involvement, System Mapping and Gap Analysis and

Engagement and Communications.

Alongside monthly Project Board meetings, the

Board Chair, Project Manager and Work Stream

Leads were involved in a wide-range of activity

during Phase 1. This included:

BACKGROUND

4

Convening meetings for data leads from Police, the local Probation Trust, City and County YOS. All

agencies provided data and contributed to the Data Analysis report.

Organising Young Adult focus groups and an on-going social research project designed to gather the

views and experiences of young adults who have recently made transitions between services.

Convening practitioner focus groups to support the work of the System Mapping work stream

Compiling a Literature and an Effective Practice review, a YOS to Probation Transitions report and

Systems Mapping report.

Visits to a national T2A pilot for young adults

Hosting a visit for representatives from the Barrow Cadbury Trust/T2A and Revolving Doors

Attending relevant local and national conferences, workshops and briefings

Meetings with key stakeholders/partners, including those who represent key elements of the CJS and

pathways out of offending.

Publicising the project through launching a twitter account and the publication of a newsletter for

partners.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

5

Executive Summary

This report shares the findings of Phase 1 of the

Young Adults Project (YAP). It also makes a series of

system-wide recommendations focussed on

improving outcomes for young adults in contact

with the criminal justice system (CJS), including

securing a reduction in offending and reoffending

amongst this group. It is worth noting that there is

no definitive agreement over which age-range

constitutes ‘young adulthood’1. For the purpose of

clarity, the YAP considers young adulthood as 16-24

years inclusive. Whilst this review aims to highlight

the experiences and needs that many young adults

share, it is also crucial to emphasise that young

adults are not a homogenous group and both

background and need will be diverse.

Why Focus on Young Adults?

The current CJS is largely designed around a

distinction made between youth and adult, with a

step-change in law, policy, approach, services and

interventions when someone is deemed as an ‘adult’

(e.g. 18 years old) by the system. There is, however,

growing evidence that this does not adequately

address the offending or cater for the specific needs

of young adult offenders.

The over-representation of young adults in the CJS,

as both offenders and victims, has been a constant

feature of the system for many years. Nationally, 18-

24 year olds represent approximately 10% of the

population but they make up almost a third of

offenders found guilty or cautioned for indictable

offences, over one third of those starting a

community order or suspended sentence order and

almost one third of those sentenced to custody each

year (Justice Select Committee, 2013). However, it is

the higher reoffending rates of young adults in

contact with the CJS that raises questions over the

effectiveness of the current system.

1 The most common age bands seem to be 18-24 but other age bands are also frequently used (16-24 and 18-20) The YAP focuses on 16-24 because it provides an opportunity to make changes up-stream for those young people leaving young people’s services.

The literature also highlights the window of

opportunity that exists in addressing young adult

offending and reoffending. The widely recognised

age-crime curve (Farrington, 1986) shows that

young adulthood is a stage in life when desistance is

most likely to occur naturally. This, and other

similar evidence, suggests that:

‘…early adulthood is a watershed period, a time when

people start to desist and, thus a time when the

criminal justice system could be influential in helping

or hindering these moves towards desistance.’

(Shapland et al, 2012:128)

Whilst there is an imperative and opportunity to

specifically focus on young adults, the evidence also

highlights the particular developmental and social

needs of young adults, all of which can be relevant

to their offending. Of particular interest is the

evidence that individuals rarely reach all the

milestones associated with becoming an adult by

the age of 18. Social and economic changes in recent

decades have impacted significantly on young

people’s transition to adulthood. Generally, the age

of first marriage, having a child, living

independently, and the numbers staying in

education (and for longer) have all increased. It is

observed that the social and economic conditions

that young adults currently face are some of the

most challenging for decades. These changes

present particular challenges for many young adults

in contact with the CJS who may, for example, have

lower educational attainment and less support

structures available to enable them to make a

longer and smoother transition to adulthood.

Recent evidence from brain development and

maturity research highlights that the developmental

milestones associated with adulthood are rarely

reached by the age of 18. Whilst physical and

intellectual development is usually completed

during adolescence, emotional and social

development often continues into the 20s. These

areas of maturity hold particular relevance to the

onset and/or continuity of offending. As the

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

6

biological changes occur in the relevant part of the

brain during adolescence and into young adulthood,

there is a natural improvement in executive

functioning, in areas such as planning, anticipating

consequences, reasoning, abstract thinking and

impulsive control (Losel et al, 2012).

The needs and vulnerabilities of young adults differ

to older adults and often reflect the developmental

process and challenges associated with the

transition to adulthood. Generally, young adults

tend to have a higher level of need than older adults

and these are often multiple and inter-linked.

National data indicates that young adults tend to

have greater need in relation to Education, Training

and Employment (ETE), accommodation, substance

misuse, mental health, lifestyle and associates, and

thinking and behaviour. The changes and challenges

associated with making the transition to adulthood

can result in need emerging for the first time (e.g.

accommodation) or becoming magnified (e.g.

mental health). Young adults can become

particularly vulnerable during this time and this

seems to be predominantly the case for those

leaving care, those with experiences of childhood

trauma or those with health issues – for example

Acquired Brain Injury (ABI). The transition to

adulthood may be considered as an over-arching

need in itself given the change and challenge often

experienced during this life stage.

Recent inspections and studies highlight that the

current system in England and Wales does not

adequately address the issues above and therefore

is not as effective as it could be in reducing

offending and reoffending. This relates to two

particular issues: firstly, the untimely (and often

poorly managed) transition between young people’s

and adult services, and secondly, the approach of

adult services often not being attuned to the specific

offending and needs of young adults. This highlights

the need to review current practice within a local

context and against the evidence of effectiveness.

Young Adult Offenders in Leicester,

Leicestershire and Rutland

The local picture relating to young adult offending

largely reflects the national one. Between 2011 and

2013, 40% of offenders of crime were between the

ages of 16 and 24 whilst they make up only 13% of

the local population. The majority of crime was

committed by males (85%) and in terms of

ethnicity, the majority was committed by White

Europeans (78%) although this differed between

the City (68%), the County (89%) and Rutland

(98%) – a profile which is in keeping with offenders

overall. The most common crime type for this age

group was assault, which, it may be inferred is likely

to be linked to the night-time economy and alcohol

fuelled violence and may also relate to issues

underpinned by psychosocial maturity. Following

assault, drug offences and theft offences were most

common.

Of particular interest is that 68% of the cohort

committed one offence during the time period,

nearly a third committed more than one offence and

just 13 offenders were responsible for more than 50

offences each. This, it is later argued, shows the

need for a range of responses. Within this cohort the

most common crime resolution was a court disposal

(60%) and the use of out-of-court disposals

impressed as comparably low. Analysis of the local

data highlights that this age group were also over-

represented in stop and search (59% of all stop and

searches). Locally, young adults are also most likely

to be victims of crime but there is less of an over-

representation. Between 2011 and 2013, 21% of

victims were aged 16-24, with 18 being the peak

age.

Data on the current caseload of Leicestershire and

Rutland Probation Trust show an over-

representation of 18-24 year olds (25% of the

overall caseload). Young adults were particularly

over-represented in short-term sentences and

within the local Integrated Offender Management

caseload. Within the locally identified cohort the

most common offence for which a young adult was

known to probation was violence. YOS data on 16-

17 year olds confirmed this was also the case. The

most common disposal according to Probation data

was a Community Order with the most frequently

imposed requirements being Unpaid Work followed

by Supervision. The only specific young adult

requirement, the Attendance Centre, made up just

2% of requirements. Requirements designed to

meet specific needs, for example the Drug

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

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Rehabilitation Requirement, also impressed as

being under-utilised.

A local analysis of need confirmed that young adults

within the cohort had a higher level of need than

older adults with many experiencing multiple and

inter-related need. This was particularly the case in

relation to ETE, lifestyle and associates, thinking

and behaviour, attitudes and emotional well-being.

Data from city and county YOS confirm some

similarities in need between 16-17 young people

and 18-24 year olds, particularly in relation to

lifestyle, thinking and behaviour, and attitudes. ETE

appears to become a more pressing need for those

over the age of 18. A deeper analysis of need

highlighted how a high proportion of young adults

appeared to be experiencing issues relating to the

emotional and social challenges of young adulthood.

An exploration of local services for young adults

indicates that, on the whole, the majority of young

person services stop when someone reaches 18 and

a transition to an equivalent adult service is

necessary. There are some exceptions to this.

However, practitioners report a complex provider

landscape wherein they struggle to fully understand

provision and in particular the scope and criteria.

Within adult services, there was limited evidence of

a specific young adult approach, with most services

not formally distinguishing between younger adults

and their older peers. Practitioners identified

particular issues and challenges in addressing

young adult need in areas such as housing,

substance misuse and finances.

An on-going social research project aimed at

gathering insights from young adults locally

provides some interesting qualitative data on how

young adults themselves view the current system.

The areas of need most frequently identified by

young adults relates to ETE, which reflects the data

above. On the whole, the young adults involved

reported that they found young people’s services

generally more helpful in meeting their needs than

adult services. In terms of the transitions between

young people’s and adult services, the negative

impact experienced was largely related to three

themes: adjusting to new rules, services stopping

altogether due to the change, and having to tell their

story again. Although a minority highlighted some

positive aspects of adult services, the majority

referred to the challenges and disruption involved.

When asked about how transitions could be

improved, most suggestions centred round

planning, communication and additional support.

The majority supported the idea of a ‘Transitions

Mentor’ to provide support and continuity during

this time.

As is the case with the national data, the YAP’s early

exploration of the local picture highlights some

opportunities to improve outcomes and reduce

offending and reoffending amongst this group.

Effective and Promising Practice

If it is accepted that young adulthood is a distinct

stage in life, and the offending and needs of young

adults differs from older adults, then it follows that

the response and model of delivery should reflect

this.

The available evidence on effectiveness highlights

the interventions that are proven to be effective or

at least promising. These, in summary, relate to

thinking skills, family approaches, restorative

justice, mentoring and ETE interventions. However,

the literature also highlights the importance of any

intervention being adapted and delivered in a way

that is responsive to the needs of young adult

offenders. The T2A alliance advocates a ‘Pathways

from Crime’ model for young adults. This outlines

the steps that can be taken at different stages of the

CJS and beyond. (For example, the opportunities for

and effectiveness of out-of-court disposals for

young adults and the importance of taking maturity

into account at all stages.) There is also evidence

from pilots and projects commissioned to

specifically address the needs of young adult

offenders. Many of these identify the ‘key

ingredients’ to a young adult approach.

The YAP has captured the available evidence in a

visual model of effectiveness.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

8

Whole system approach

INDIVIDUAL SOCIAL

Successful Transition to

AdulthoodPositive

transitions, reductions in offending and

reoffending

Criminal Justice Response

Takes account of maturity and specific needs of YAs. Targeted but flexible approach. Diversion

where appropriate, tailored

sentences.

Individual Capacity and Capability

Risk Management

Risk Management

Building confidence, resilience and responsibility

Acquiring and developing life skills

Thinking and behaviour work

Key Areas Cog skills,Emotional M’ment Substance Misuse, EET, Living Skills, Parenting, Relationships (inc DV and peers), Mental/Physical Health

Peer Mentoring and other involvement

opportunities

Restorative Justice

Opportunities and Access

Accommodation and supported housing,

Employment, Training and Education, Financial

Inclusion, Access to rehab, MH and counselling

Services

Networks and Inclusion

Key AreasLocating work within SU social context, family involvement & interventions, support groups, re-integrative activities

Quality of Relationship

Professional &/or Mentor

“Trusted Adult”Care, respect, trust

A role model to challenge and

support (emotional and practical)

General Approach of

Services Personalised Holistic

Accessible, Flexible &

ResponsiveService user

led

Strength-based

Provision of safety-net

Tailored to individual maturity

Promotes continuity

Specific InterventionsTailored to need and maturity

Mentoring

Actively manages

transitions between services

Accounts for diversity

Outcome Focussed

The model has a number of key inter-dependant

and equally important elements:

A whole systems approach

Criminal justice response

Quality of relationship

General approach of services

Specific interventions (at an individual and

social level)

Management of risk

Conclusion and Recommendations

Although significant work has been undertaken

within Phase 1 of the YAP, this represents the start

of a journey that will need to continue for some

time. It will be necessary to develop our collective

understanding of the offending and needs of young

adults and what is effective on an on-going basis.

However, there is sufficient information to make

recommendations at this stage. These centre around

key themes and are dependent on partners working

collaboratively. Critically, to improve outcomes, a

change in thinking across partner agencies will be

required, away from a generic ‘all adult’ approach to

one that recognises young adulthood as a distinct

stage in life, wherein we have an opportunity to

ensure young adults meet the milestones associated

with a successful transition to adulthood.

Strategic Leadership and Governance

Recommendation One

The Strategic Partnership Board should identify

young adults, aged 16-24 years, as a priority group

who require a tailored approach in order to reduce

offending and reoffending.

Recommendation Two

The Strategic Partnership Board should provide the

strategic leadership for driving forward system-

wide changes aimed at improving outcomes for

young adults involved in the CJS. The Reducing Re-

offending Board should involve: compiling a

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

9

Delivery Plan for 2014-2017 which includes a

performance framework; identifying ‘champions’ at

Senior Officer level; and providing a Chair and the

governance for the Delivery Group.

Delivery Infrastructure

Recommendation Three

The Reducing Reoffending Board should establish a

Delivery Group to ensure the agreed

recommendations and actions within the Delivery

Plan are implemented. The Board should provide a

chair, agree membership and establish an operating

budget.

Recommendation Four

The Reducing Reoffending Board should ensure a

clear Young Adult Involvement strategy is agreed

and implemented which includes young adult

representation on the Delivery Group.

Effective Practice and Quality

Recommendation Five

The National Probation Service, Community

Rehabilitation Company, YOTS and other providers

should establish a local model of effective practice

for working with young adults. The indicators of a

quality service and a mechanism for quality

assurance should also be developed.

Workforce Development

Recommendation Six

The Reducing Reoffending Board should

commission a joint awareness-raising and training

programme to ensure shared understanding and

knowledge of issues such as maturity, the

vulnerabilities and needs of young adults and

effective approaches and interventions in working

with young adults.


Recommendation Seven

The Strategic Partnership Board should commission

a review of the use of out-of-court disposals for

young adults including conditional cautions and

how these could be used to divert young adults

involved in less serious offences away from crime.

Recommendation Eight

The Reducing Reoffending Board should encourage

local Mental Health Liaison and Diversion schemes

to consider the specific needs of young adults and

develop the approach accordingly.

Recommendation Nine

The Community Rehabilitation Company, together

with the NPS and YOTS, should develop bespoke

sentencing options for young adults based on local

need and effectiveness in consultation with local

Sentencers.

Recommendation Ten

The Reducing Reoffending Board should work with

the local MAPPA Strategic Management Board to

ensure local IOM/MAPPA arrangements consider

the variable maturity and different needs of young

adults and tailor the approach accordingly.

Recommendation Eleven

The Reducing Reoffending Board should promote

the development and implementation of a local

model of resettlement for young adults.

Recommendation Twelve

The OPCC should ensure that the forthcoming

commissioning of RJ and Victim services includes a

specific focus on young adults and the Strategic

Partnership Board should promote the

development of RJ approaches for young adult

offenders/victims at all stages of the CJ process.

Interventions and Services

Recommendation Thirteen

The Reducing Reoffending Board should encourage

and support key programmes, services and

interventions to review and develop practice

against the agreed model of effectiveness.

Recommendation Fourteen

The Police should commission a website via

Integrated Offender Management that provides

information about services and interventions across

the pathways out of offending. This should cover

both young people and adult services.

Recommendation Fifteen

The Reducing Reoffending Board, together with

Children’s Services, should ensure that there is an

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

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analysis of need and the development of bespoke

and effective services/interventions for Women,

Black and Minority Ethnic young adults and those

young adults who are also Care Leavers.

Transitions Between Services

Recommendation Sixteen

The NPS, CRC and local Youth Offending

Management Boards should endorse the

development of a new protocol aimed at ensuring

high quality transitions between YOS and Probation

providers. This should include the CJ Hub (IOM)

taking on a developmental and tracking role for

quality and performance purposes.

Recommendation Seventeen

The Reducing Reoffending Board and local Youth

Offending Management Boards should pursue

opportunities to explore and improve transitions

between other young person and adult services,

including those that relate to mental health,

substance misuse and social care and health.

Communications

Recommendation Eighteen

The Reducing Reoffending Board should identify a

lead Communications Officer to continue and

develop the current Young Adult Communications

Strategy.

CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

11

Conclusion and

Recommendations

Conclusion

This report shares the main findings of Phase 1 of

the Young Adults Project. Although significant work

has been undertaken, this merely represents the

start of a journey that will need to continue for

some time. It will be necessary to develop our

collective understanding of the offending and needs

of young adults and what is effective in reducing

offending and reoffending on an on-going basis.

However the Project Board believes there is

sufficient evidence and information at this stage to

start to make the changes necessary to improve

outcomes for this group.

Local and national data highlights the over-

representation of young adults in the CJS as both

offenders and victims of crime. Local data confirms

that violence is the most frequently committed

offence by this age group, followed by drugs and

acquisitive offending. Of particular note is that the

majority of young adults within the identified

cohort committed just one offence, with nearly a

third committing more than one and a very small

minority committing a disproportionately high

amount of offences. This has implications for how

the system should respond. Interestingly, most of

these were dealt with through the Courts. Probation

data highlights that the majority of young adults

from the cohort received community sentences

although there is a notable over-representation in

short-term custodial sentences. The use of the

Attendance Centre requirements and requirements

that address specific areas of need (e.g. drug use,

programmes) impressed as low.

The evidence from research supports the

contention that young adulthood is a distinct stage

in life wherein the social, economic and

developmental milestones associated with

becoming an adult are reached at variable rates

depending on a variety of individual and social

factors. Evidence from brain development research

indicates that certain areas of psychosocial

functioning such as responsibility, temperance and

perspective are often not fully developed until

someone reaches their mid-20s. These findings hold

particular relevance to offending, including

violence. The local data on offender need supports

this, highlighting that on the whole young adults

experience a higher level and more complex need

across most areas. This is particularly the case in

areas such as thinking and behaviour, attitudes, ETE

and lifestyle and associates. The emotional needs

and vulnerability of young adults was also evident

locally. National data highlights the prevalence of

issues such as Acquired Brain Injury and childhood

trauma amongst young adults, but more work is

needed to understand these issues locally.

An early examination of local services for young

adults highlights a complex landscape which

practitioners found difficult to navigate. There is

only limited evidence of services delivering a

specific ‘young adult’ approach. The opportunities

for improving transitions between YOS and

probation and between other young people and

adult services were highlighted. We were impressed

by the enthusiasm of practitioners to improve how

we manage transitions locally and there was an

appetite for innovative change. Early themes from

the social research project highlight the many

challenges faced by young people experiencing the

transition to adulthood and between services. For

some, the approach of adult services was welcomed

which highlights the need to strike a balance of

support, but also a recognition that young adults

want to be treated as adults. ETE was one of the

most frequent needs identified by young adults. The

majority favoured the idea of a Transitions Mentor.


12

The potential for improving outcomes with this

group is high. Young adult’s developing maturity,

their less entrenched lifestyles and the fact that they

remain particularly malleable to external influences

makes success more likely. However, in order to

capitalise on this opportunity, it is essential to

ensure the approach is right. As young adults differ

in many ways to older adults, it follows that the way

the system responds to young adult offending needs

to be different. Although still limited, there is

evidence available on approaches and interventions

that are likely to prove effective in reducing

offending and reoffending. The model provided at

the end of section 3, represents a starting point for

agreeing a local model of effectiveness.

Critically, for Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland

to improve outcomes for young adult offenders, a

change in thinking across partner agencies will be

required, away from a generic “all adult” approach

to one that recognises young adulthood as a distinct

stage in life, where a bespoke and tailored approach

is needed to support transitions and desistance

from crime.

Recommendations

Based on the evidence and information gathered,

the YAP Board makes the following

recommendations. They have been proposed

because, if fully implemented, they have the

potential to significantly improve outcomes for

young adults in contact with the CJS. Several of

these involve partner agencies reviewing and

developing current practices to ensure the services

offered meet the needs of young adults and are

embedded in the evidence of effectiveness. Other

recommendations require more significant work

due to the relevant area of business being under-

developed or inconsistent with the evidence of

effectiveness. It is also envisaged that as the local

response to young adults develops, there will be the

opportunity to make changes beyond these

recommendations.

Strategic Leadership and Governance

There is sufficient evidence for partners to identify

young adults (16-24 years) in contact with the CJS

as a priority group with the over-arching aim of

bringing about the changes required to secure

reductions in offending and reoffending. At present

there appears to be insufficient strategic focus on

this group within the sub-region. A cross-sector,

multi-agency strategic commitment to reducing the

offending and reoffending of young adults is a vital

building block in making system-wide changes

aimed at improving outcomes for young adults.

Relevant strategic plans across partner agencies

should make specific reference to this priority and

the stated age group.

The Strategic Partnership Board, within its current

terms of reference, is in an ideal position to provide

strategic leadership for driving forward system-

wide changes aimed at improving outcomes for

young adults involved in the CJS. It is proposed that

it requires the Reducing Re-offending Board to

compile and agree a Delivery Plan 2014-2017 which

is based on the delivery of these recommendations

and a performance framework that provides data

on the offending and reoffending of young adults

(and associated outcomes). The Plan should clearly

identify priorities and lead professionals and

timescales for each area of business. Inter-

dependencies with other strategic boards should be

identified and relevant links made to ensure a

joined-up approach. It is also proposed that the

Reducing Re-offending Board seeks to identify

‘champions’ at Senior Officer level across and

beyond those agencies represented at the Board

and should provide a chair and the governance for

the Delivery Group outlined below.

Recommendation One

The Strategic Partnership Board should

identify young adults, aged 16-24 years,

as a priority group who require a

tailored approach in order to reduce

offending and reoffending.


13

Delivery Infrastructure

It is proposed that a Delivery Group is established,

in place of the current Young Adult Project Board, to

ensure the agreed recommendations and actions

within the Delivery Plan are implemented. In

essence, Phase 2 of the Young Adult project will

focus on the implementation of agreed

recommendations. It is proposed that the Delivery

Group is chaired by a member of the Reducing

Reoffending Board and membership comprises of

professionals who are given lead responsibility for

particular areas of business. It is envisaged that this

group will adopt a task and finish approach and

report progress directly to the RRB. The group

should have a core membership of professionals

from the Young Adults Project to ensure continuity

of knowledge, with other professionals being co-

opted into the group as and when required. It is

suggested that this includes a Data Analysis lead to

ensure that the project continues to adopt an

evidence-based approach. Administrative support

for this meeting can be made available through the

local Criminal Justice (IOM) Hub. A small operating

budget will need to be established.

This report highlights the importance of Young

Adult involvement in terms of ensuring both the

design and delivery of services is responsive and

more likely to be effective. The continuance of the

current social research project is recommended. It

is also proposed that every recommendation/action

relating to service design and delivery seeks to

involve young adults throughout. In order to

facilitate and embed this approach, it is

recommended that a young adult involvement

strategy is devised and implemented as part of the

above delivery plan. Furthermore, a young adult

representative should be a core member of the

Delivery Group. The opportunities for involving

young adults from other schemes, for example the

Youth Commission, should also be explored.

Effective Practice and Quality

The available evidence from the literature and

research highlights the key elements of an effective

approach to working with young adults in contact

with the CJS. The importance of the different

elements of effectiveness being in place across

services and the system is crucial. This requires

there to be an agreement over and shared

understanding of a model of effectiveness and the

establishment of a local quality benchmark for

young adult provision. This should be routinely

Recommendation Four


ensure a clear Young Adult Involvement

strategy is agreed and implemented

which includes young adult

representation on the Delivery Group.

Recommendation Three


establish a Delivery Group to ensure the

agreed recommendations and actions

within the Delivery Plan are

implemented. The Board should provide

a chair, agree membership and establish

an operating budget.

Recommendation Two


provide the strategic leadership for

driving forward system-wide changes

aimed at improving outcomes for young

adults involved in the CJS. The Reducing

Re-offending Board should involve:

compiling a Delivery Plan for 2014-2017

which includes a performance

framework; identifying ‘champions’ at

Senior Officer level; and providing a Chair

and the governance for the Delivery

Group.


14

referred/adhered to when developing strategies

and services for young adults across the sub-region.

Opportunities for peer review using agreed quality

assurance indicators should also be pursued over

time.

Workforce Development

This report highlights the many ways in which

young adults differ from older adult offenders. Of

particular note is the evidence from brain

development and maturity research and how this

impacts on offending. The data on offending,

vulnerability and need also show differences with

issues such as brain injury and childhood trauma

being particularly relevant to young adults. The

available information on the approaches and

interventions that are effective indicates that young

adults require a different approach to older adults.

In order to develop practice in a way that is more

effective in reducing offending/reoffending, it is

essential that managers and practitioners working

with young adults involved in the CJS have a shared

understanding, sound knowledge and relevant

skills. Awareness raising and training, as

appropriate to role, is therefore crucial. As

integrated working is a key element of effective

practice there is an opportunity to achieve this

across sectors and agencies. As a minimum, this

should include relevant police, probation, YOS staff

as well as key decision-makers, for example

prosecutors and magistrates. However, ideally it

will extend to other programmes and services to

reflect the wide-ranging needs of young adults. This

could be achieved by arranging for Staff

Development and Training Departments within

different agencies to work collaboratively around

this area of practice.


The local data on young adult offending and levels

of risk of harm/reoffending indicates that there

needs to be a range of criminal justice responses to

reflect levels of seriousness and to ensure the right

intervention is deployed at the right time. Decision-

making needs to be supported by a shared

understanding of maturity and how this impacts on

offending. This can be addressed through the above

workforce development recommendation.

Particular attention should be paid to ensure Pre-

Sentence Report writers are able to assess the

maturity, vulnerability and need of young adults

and formulate tailored and effective proposals. With

some young adults, the most appropriate response

to support desistance will be to divert them out of

the formal CJ process, whilst for others it will be

ensuring there are tailored sentences available.

Lessons learned by YOS and partners in reducing

the numbers of First Time Entrants should be

considered and where relevant applied to diverting

young adults away from the CJS.

Recommendation Six


commission a joint awareness-raising and

training programme to ensure shared

understanding and knowledge of issues

such as maturity, the vulnerabilities and

needs of young adults and effective

approaches and interventions in working

with young adults.

Recommendation Five

The National Probation Service,

Community Rehabilitation Company,

YOTS and other providers should

establish a local model of effective

practice for working with young adults.

The indicators of a quality service and a

mechanism for quality assurance should

also be developed.


15

Given the high level of need relating to mental

health and substance misuse, the provision of

liaison and diversion services is particularly

relevant to this group. For example, young

adulthood is a stage in life wherein mental health

issues may arise or deteriorate and there may be a

simultaneous change in services due to age

boundaries and criteria thresholds changing. Multi-

agency systems need to be in place to divert young

adults into relevant services where appropriate.

Nationally, there are examples of how effective

sentences for young adults have been developed

within the existing legislative framework. It is

proposed that locally, partners should start to

identify and pursue opportunities to develop

tailored sentences for young adults based on need

and evidence of effectiveness. It is recommended

that this should commence with a review of the

model of delivery for Attendance Centre Orders

particularly given the forthcoming changes to the

commissioning arrangements. In time the

opportunities for developing requirements of

community sentences should also be pursued, for

example, developing Intensive Alternative to

Custody sentences and the wider use of

requirements that focus those areas of need that

local data confirms are particularly prevalent

amongst young adults (ETE, Substance Misuse). It is

also suggested that providers of requirements such

as Unpaid work and Programmes should review and

develop the design and delivery of these so they are

more engaging and effective for young adults.

Local data highlights that a minority of young adults

are assessed as posing a high risk of harm and/or

reoffending. However, young adults are

disproportionately represented in the local IOM and

MAPPA caseload. It is proposed that there is a joint

exploration of the offending and needs of the

highest risk young adults by MAPPA and IOM and

consider how the approach can be developed.

Those young adults who receive custodial sentences

pose the highest risk of reoffending. This is

particularly the case with those serving short-term

sentences. The potential negative impacts of

custody can have a particularly detrimental impact

on the transition to adulthood and resettlement,

which starts during the early stages of the custodial

term, plays a vital role in negating this. The

introduction of Resettlement Prisons provides an

opportunity to review and improve resettlement

services for young adults. The local provision of the

OPCC funded Resettlement Team (for those adults

Recommendation Ten


work with the local MAPPA Strategic

Management Board to ensure local

IOM/MAPPA arrangements consider the

variable maturity and different needs of

young adults and tailor the approach

accordingly.

Recommendation Nine

The Community Rehabilitation Company,

together with the NPS and YOTS, should

develop bespoke sentencing options for

young adults based on local need and

effectiveness in consultation with local

Sentencers.

Recommendation Eight


encourage local Mental Health Liaison

and Diversion schemes to consider the

specific needs of young adults and

develop the approach accordingly.

Recommendation Seven


commission a review of the use of out-

of-court disposals for young adults

including conditional cautions and how

these could be used to divert young

adults involved in less serious offences

away from crime.


16

without supervisory support) also provides an

opportunity to improve the resettlement of young

adults locally prior to the changes in law brought

about by the Transforming Rehabilitation reforms.

Research highlights that Restorative Justice

approaches, at all stages of the CJS, hold particular

promise to reducing reoffending amongst young

adults. At present the availability of RJ approaches

for young adult offenders and victims impress as

piecemeal. It is therefore proposed that there is a

commitment to developing RJ approaches and

interventions for young adults across the system.

The changes in commissioning arrangements for RJ

and Victim services provide an opportunity to do

this in an integrated way.

Interventions and Services

National and local evidence emphasises the

different needs of young adults and how often adult

services/interventions adopt a generic approach

that does not meet their specific needs. The

recommendation relating to Effective Practice

suggests that there should be local agreement over

and shared understanding of a model of

effectiveness and the establishment of a local

quality benchmark for young adult provision. It is

recommended that the RRB encourage key

services/interventions to review and develop their

approach in line with this model. It is suggested that

this commences with key interventions and services

that are particularly relevant to young adults. For

example:

Family programmes and interventions

Employment, Education and Training

services/interventions

Mental health and Learning Disabilities

Violence and Thinking Skills interventions

Substance Misuse

Practitioners and service users engaged in the

Project highlighted the complex landscape in

relation to young person and adult services and

interventions. Both described difficulties in

navigating these services, understanding their remit

fully and the various criteria and thresholds of

services. Although the model of effectiveness

emphasises the importance of holistic (or at least

integrated) services, this landscape is likely to

remain complex for the foreseeable future. This

presents a challenge for ensuring services are

identified for and accessed by young adults. It is

proposed that a website is commissioned for

service users and practitioners outlining all

available services across the pathways out of

offending. It is suggested that this is commissioned

via Integrated Offender Management.

Recommendation Thirteen


encourage and support key

programmes, services and interventions

to review and develop practice against

the agreed model of effectiveness.

Recommendation Twelve

The OPCC should ensure that the

forthcoming commissioning of RJ and

Victim services includes a specific focus

on young adults and the Strategic

Partnership Board should promote the

development of RJ approaches for young

adult offenders/victims at all stages of

the CJ process.

Recommendation Eleven


promote the development and

implementation of a local model of

resettlement for young adults.


17

This report highlights the absence of sufficient local

data on women and Black and Minority Ethnic

young adults. The particular needs of young adults

who are also Care Leavers have also not been

specifically considered within this report. It is

proposed that the Reducing Reoffending Board

ensures that specific attention is afforded to

understanding their needs and developing bespoke

services and approaches in response. It is suggested

that this work is undertaken in partnership with

relevant specialist services.

Transitions between Services

The risks arising from young adults making the

transition between services is highlighted within

this report. The section on effective and promising

practice outlines the importance of exercising

flexibility in age boundaries wherever possible and

proactively managing any necessary transitions

between young person and adult services. A

separate report has been compiled on YOS to

Probation Transitions. This recommends that the

new Protocol adheres to the evidence of

effectiveness. More specifically it endorses pro-

active and detailed transition planning, agreeing a

Quality benchmark, the local CJ Hub (IOM)

providing a lead on developing practice in this area

and tracking all young people experiencing YOS to

Probation transitions for quality and performance

purposes. It is also suggested that probation

providers consider identifying officers who can take

on a specialist role and ensure additional support,

in the form of mentoring, is put in place to guide the

young adult through the transition process.

This report recognises that youth to adult transition

is far broader than the transition between YOS and

probation providers. It is anticipated that the

Protocol mentioned in the above recommendation

includes the need to ensure smooth transitions

across all relevant services. In order to facilitate this

it is also recommended that young person and adult

services across the pathways out of offending,

examine and where necessary, improve, the current

transitions arrangements. A small scale qualitative

study of transitions between CAMHS and AMHS is

already being planned. Other areas should include

substance misuse and social care and health.

Recommendation Sixteen

The NPS, CRC and local Youth Offending

Management Boards should endorse the

development of a new protocol aimed at

ensuring high quality transitions between

YOS and Probation providers. This should

include the CJ Hub (IOM) taking on a

developmental and tracking role for

quality and performance purposes.

Recommendation Fifteen

The Reducing Reoffending Board,

together with Children’s Services,

should ensure that there is an analysis

of need and the development of bespoke

and effective services/interventions for

Women, Black and Minority Ethnic

young adults and those young adults

who are also Care Leavers.

Recommendation Fourteen

The Police should commission a website

via Integrated Offender Management

that provides information about

services and interventions across the

pathways out of offending. This should

cover both young people and adult

services.


18

Communications

It is recognised that the recommendations in this

report represent a significant shift in thinking and

approach across the system. This will require clear

communication and promotion across a range of

stakeholders. Opportunities to engage with

developments on a national level including

promoting Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland’s

model should also be pursued.

Recommendation Eighteen


identify a lead Communications Officer

to continue and develop the current

Young Adult Communications Strategy.

Recommendation Seventeen

The Reducing Reoffending Board and

local Youth Offending Management

Boards should pursue opportunities to

explore and improve transitions

between other young person and adult

services, including those that relate to

mental health, substance misuse and

social care and health.

Documents

May 2014 Executive Summary & Conclusion - dlnrcrc.co.uk€¦ · EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 6 biological changes occur in the relevant part of the brain during adolescence and into young adulthood,