YOUNG offenders in Scotland will have multiple minor criminal offences become rolled into one by the courts in a bid to turn their lives around in a new initiative to cut crime.
It is hoped that the move will help cut the number of times young offenders are arrested and allow a greater chance of involvement with programmes aimed at helping under-25s get out of a life of crime.
A briefing on the Clean Slate scheme says it could also save time and resources associated with multiple court hearings and short prison stays.
The scheme has been tested by the One Glasgow Reducing Offending programme and there are now plans to rolling out across Scotland.
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Speaking at the Govan Area Partnership, Sergeant Caroline Harden, the project manager of the scheme, said: “There is nothing like this is Scotland.
“We don’t want an increased number of referrals to the reporter. We want to keep young people out of the courts. All the evidence says this approach works.
“We can’t just arrest our way out of this. We need to tackle the needs of the young people whether that is addiction, homelessness or any other issues.
“We are trying to reduce the amount of under-25s offending and trying to reduce the prison population.”
The strategy in Glasgow works alongside the likes of Glasgow City Council, the NHS and the Procurator Fiscal service, and is aimed at ‘rolling up’ outstanding warrants and complaints for those in custody within the Scottish Prison Service estate.
A brief by the Glasgow Community Planning Partnership, which put forward the idea seven years ago says: "Outstanding complaints or warrants, which key agencies and those with convictions themselves are aware of prior to release, can often act as a barrier to people in custody engaging with prison and community based interventions.
"These outstanding complaints and warrants can often result in those with them, returning to custody in a short space of time, creating a revolving door effect. As a consequence this has poorer outcomes for not only those with convictions but for the communities they return to.
"The project does not ‘wipe out’ outstanding warrants or complaints. The purpose of the concept is to accelerate the process... whilst the accused is in custody."
It said the aims of the scheme would to cut re-offending, contributing to "a reduction in the number of victims of crime and safer communities".
Sergeant Harden added: “It’s about having an oversight of all the young people in Glasgow who are offending to ensure they’re not getting missed.
“The important thing is early intervention. It’s about targeting our resources to meet the needs of young people.”
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