Serious violent crime committed by young people in Glasgow has dropped by almost a quarter over the course of a year, according to a report from the city’s Youth Justice Services.
Based on crime date from Strathclyde Police, the report established that the number of attempted murders, serious assaults, robberies and threats committed by under 18s came down by 22% over the course of 2009/10. This means there has been a 31per cent drop in serious offending since 2007/2008.
Overall the number of offences committed by under eighteens has dropped by 7% last year, which continues a downward trend that has seen a 35% reduction in the number of offence based referrals to the Children’s Reporter since 2006/2007. In almost every category of crime – including possession of offensive weapons or drugs, housebreaking or theft and fireraising or vandalism – figures are declining.
The improving picture on youth crime in Glasgow has followed the development of comprehensive and coordinated support programmes which address the complex issues often found at the root of offending behaviour. Based on the best available research from across the world, these programmes include Intensive Support and Monitoring (ISMS), Forensic Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service and Multi-Systemic Therapy.
These services are overseen by Glasgow City Council’s Social Work Services, which leads the multi-agency Youth Justice Strategy Group that encompasses Education Services, Health, Police, the Children’s Reporter, the Procurator Fiscal, Glasgow Community and Safety Services, Glasgow Life, Glasgow Community Justice Authority and the voluntary sector.
Councillor Matt Kerr, Executive Member for Social Care at Glasgow City Council, welcomed the continuing improvement in the crime figures among Glasgow’s young people, but also stressed that there is no sense of complacency when addressing an on-going issue.
Councillor Kerr said: “These figures show that Glasgow is becoming a safer city, both for young people and the wider community. We are seeing increasingly positive outcomes for young people who were being drawn into offending and a big part of that is down to the hard work of the young people themselves and their families.
“Tremendous credit must also go to the wide range of agencies involved in youth justice work in Glasgow. By using programmes which have been tried, tested and found to be effective they have helped to make a big difference to a very important issue.
“But this is not a finished project and we will continue to develop new services which will challenge the small minority of young people who commit crime in Glasgow and create misery in their communities.”
New services include the roll out Early & Effective Intervention Groups, which sees young people directed towards appropriate programmes within one to two weeks of offending. The approach was implemented in Glasgow East and is now becoming available in other parts of the city. Work is also underway to increase the focus on girls and young women who offend and a closer study is being made of the transition from Children’s Hearings to adult courts to ensure support services remain in place for young adults.
Superintendent Derek Robertson, Head of Safer Communities, Strathclyde Police said: “There is no doubt that these figures are encouraging, clearly highlighting the improvement in respect of young people being involved in crime.
"However Strathclyde Police will continue to work tirelessly with our partners to ensure that young people are diverted from such practices and their potential is maximised within the local community.
"Early and effective intervention is a productive, tailored approach to deliver such improvements for a safer Glasgow”.
During 2009/10 there were 4198 referrals to the Children’s Reporter on offence grounds in respect of 1817 young people mainly under 16. This has fallen from 6501 in 06/07, 5592 in 07/08 and 4570 in 08/09. A referral may include one or more offences.
A total of 11,895 offences were committed by young people under 18 in 09/10. This compares to 12786 offences in 08/09 and 13981 in 07/08.
Intensive Support and Monitoring Service, which can involve the use of an electronic tag, is now also used as an alternative to remand and continues to reduce among offending behaviour among young people on the programme. Between September 2009 and April 2010, involvement in the ‘ISMS: Alternative to Remand’ led to a 46% reduction in offending behaviour among 30 offenders.
Multi-Systemic Therapy (MST), which look at a young person in the context of their family, peers, school and community, has also successfully reduced offending among eighteen individuals by 39% over the course of six months.
The Forensic Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service is only team of its kind in Scotland and during 2009/10 contributed to the care plans of 80 young people engaged with youth justice services.
A significant majority of crimes committed by under 18s are considered as ‘nuisance’ offences such as petty assault, breach of the peace and consuming alcohol. It was also found that most young people who offend move on from criminal activity with the assistance of a wide range of diversionary and support services available through youth justice partners.
