23 November 2005

Justice

Resourcing the Juvenile Diversion Programme

Ciarán Cuffe asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he has satisfied himself that the Juvenile Diversion Programme has sufficient resources to address the issues that come under its remit; if he will provide figures for its staffing levels and finance in each of the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. 

Minister For Justice, Equality and Law Reform: The Children Act 2001, which came into law in May 2002, gave a statutory basis to the Garda Diversion Programme, which includes a restorative justice aspect.  This Programme has proven to be highly successful in diverting young people away from crime by offering guidance and support to juveniles and their families.  In the more serious cases, juveniles are placed under the supervision of Garda Juvenile Liaison Officers, who are specially trained members of the Garda Síochána responsible for administering the Programme at the local level.  I am informed by the Garda authorities that in the year 2003, the Garda National Juvenile Office received 19,915 referrals under the Programme relating to 17,043 individual offenders.  The number of juvenile referrals processed by the National Juvenile Office in 2004 was 20,607. 

The Diversion Programme is in place on a nationwide basis.  Resource implications are constantly under review and applications for additional resources are made on a case by case basis when and where necessary.  In addition to the Programme, there are in existence more than 60 Garda youth diversion projects targeted towards 'at risk' youngsters around the country.

These Garda youth diversion projects, which along with the Diversion Programme operate under the aegis of the National Juvenile Office, are a community-based, multi-agency crime prevention initiative aimed at diverting young persons from becoming involved - or further involved - in anti-social and/or criminal behaviour, by providing suitable activities to facilitate personal development, promote civic responsibility and improve long-term employability prospects.  By doing so, the projects also contribute to improving the quality of life within communities and enhancing Garda/community relations.  The number of such projects has grown from 12 in 1997 to 64 at present - a process made possible, in part, by funding under the National Development Plan 2000-2006.  I am committed to the continuing development and, as resources permit, the expansion of such projects.  Proposals made by An Garda Síochána to my Department on establishing further projects are examined within the context of available resources. 

In publishing the details last week of the Abridged Estimates for 2006, I outlined a 14-point package of initiatives in line with the commitment of considerable additional financial resources to the Garda Vote.  One of these initiatives involves an extra €1.2m to be allocated to the various youth diversion projects, bringing the total available for these highly successful interventions to €6.6m.  I have now asked the Commissioner to bring forward proposals for further community-based initiatives in this area in the light of the additional funding announced today.  It is intended to extend further these schemes across the country over the next 2 years.  The target is to have established 100 of these schemes nationwide by end 2007. 

I have been informed by the Garda authorities, who are responsible for the detailed allocation of resources, including personnel, that in 1999 there were 84 Gardaí employed operationally as Juvenile Liaison Officers (JLO's) in the various Divisions throughout the country.  Two additional posts have since been created (in July 2004 and May 2005) to bring this number to 86, together with eight JLO Sergeants.  In addition, the National Juvenile Office has a staff of 1 Superintendent, 2 Inspectors and 2 Sergeants.  The administration in the office is carried out by these two Sergeants and four civilian staff. 

The National Juvenile Office is one of four constituent elements that make up the National Community Relations Section.  As the annual budget for the National Community Relations section is not divided between the four units it is not possible to determine the 2005 budget for the National Juvenile Office.  Furthermore, certain related expenditure items, such as the provision of motor vehicles, information technology and other support services, are accounted for on a centralised national basis.  In addition, the salary costs of the 86 JLO Gardaí and eight JLO Sergeants working in the various Divisions throughout the country are accounted for centrally within the Garda Vote and are not reflected in the above figure of €2.75m.  Consequently it is not possible to provide, for any particular year, budget details on an individual Garda unit basis for those additional nationally provided services. 

Ongoing evaluation of restorative justice practice is being carried out by the Garda Research Unit.  All Garda Juvenile Liaison Officers have received training in restorative justice and over half have received training in mediation skills.  It is expected that the ongoing development of restorative justice within the Diversion Programme will lead to a significant reduction in the incidence of recidivism. 

The Garda authorities and I remain strongly committed to the principle and practice of diversion in the criminal justice system, a commitment warranted by consistent findings of national and international criminological research.  Although the Garda Diversion Programme and other youth diversion projects are not appropriate for all juveniles or in all situations, they nevertheless provide an important intervention in the lives of those juveniles who have taken a wrong turn in the process of maturing into young adults.  Research indicates that of all those formally diverted prosecution, some 88 per cent do not come to the attention of the Garda Síochána again by their 18th birthday.