In the 1980s, a pioneering programme in Northampton successfully diverted more than 80% of children aged 10 to 17 away from the criminal justice system, according to Jim Crook, former director of the Northampton juvenile liaison bureau. Writing in response to a recent article by Kirsty Brimelow arguing for raising the age of criminal responsibility from 10 to 14, Crook highlighted the bureau's multi-disciplinary approach that employed informal methods of control, support, and care, including restorative justice.
National Model for Youth Offending Teams
The Northampton juvenile liaison bureau gained a national reputation and became a model for the creation of youth-offending teams across the UK. Research conducted at the time showed no increase in youth offending or repeat offences as a result of the diversion policy. The programme significantly reduced the number of juvenile court sittings and the number of children processed through the criminal justice system.
Financial and Social Benefits
The diversion scheme saved nearly £2 million per year in today's money in Northampton alone. It also prevented children from acquiring criminal convictions and criminal records, which can have long-term negative impacts on their futures. Crook noted that research found the biggest impact on preventing further offending for most children was being caught, spending a night in police cells, and facing their parents.
Crook's letter supports Brimelow's call to raise the age of criminal responsibility, arguing that many more children could be diverted away from the criminal justice system using similar methods.
