Referral Orders are a new initiative under the Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999, which came into force in April 2002.
Most young people in the 10 to 17 age group pleading guilty and being convicted for the first time will be referred to a Youth Offender Panel.
The Panels are made up of (at least) two trained volunteer members of the community and a representative of the Youth Offending Team, who will discuss with the young person, their family/carers and whenever possible (with their consent) the victim, what happened and why. The aim of the Panel is to challenge the young person to take responsibility for their actions, change their behaviour and make amends for their crime. This can be done in a number of ways such as participating in programmes about victim awareness, education and training, drug and alcohol rehabilitation and motoring offences.
There is a strong commitment under Referral Orders to involve victims directly and to encourage the young person to feel part of the community and to make positive choices for their future. Community Panel Members will play a significant role in this.
We need Community Panel Members who can represent their local community. This includes men and women of any age (18 and over) and from every ethnic and social background, whether in paid work or training, or not, from all areas of Bath and North East Somerset.
Our next recruit for Voluntary Community Panel Members will be Spring 2012
For an information pack, please contact the Youth Offending Team on 01225 396966.