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In care, out of trouble – a policy perspective
Safer Communities Pub Date : 2017-07-10 , DOI: 10.1108/sc-01-2017-0006
Katy Swaine Williams

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to describe the current policy context for work aimed at reducing the criminalisation of looked after children in England and Wales, and to consider the potential that now exists for a sustained reduction in the numbers and proportion of looked after children and young people becoming unnecessarily criminalised. Design/methodology/approach The author of this paper worked on the Prison Reform Trust’s independent review of looked after children in the criminal justice system, “In Care, Out of Trouble”, chaired by Lord Laming. The paper describes the context for the review and outlines its findings alongside those of concurrent government-commissioned reviews, detailing the government response. The paper describes the action now being taken to reduce the criminalisation of looked after children and argues that, while the UK and Welsh governments appear willing to lead in pursuing reforms, continued pressure will be needed to ensure that this translates into sustained change. Findings The paper notes that looked after children and young people remain significantly over represented in the criminal justice system despite a number of studies and statutory guidance aimed at preventing this. This is being successfully tackled in places where children’s social care services are working closely with criminal justice agencies, with common goals. The paper reports on the responses from the Welsh and UK governments and lead agencies to Lord Laming’s review and concurrent government-commissioned reviews, which confirm their willingness to show national leadership in raising expectations for effective local joint working. Practical implications The paper offers an insight into the current policy context for protecting looked after children and young people from unnecessary criminalisation and sets out the commitments that have been made by the UK and Welsh governments and national agencies to take action to this end. It notes the need for ongoing outside pressure to ensure these commitments translate into action. Social implications This paper aims to support policy makers and practitioners in pursuing improvements in practice to protect looked after children from unnecessary criminalisation. As such, it is hoped that it may play a part in improving the life chances of looked after children and young people who might otherwise face the damaging consequences of involvement in the criminal justice system. Originality/value Lord Laming’s review was a timely, independent examination of the unnecessary criminalisation of looked after children. There is now a renewed focus in key government departments and agencies on the need to protect looked after children and young people from unnecessary criminalisation, including through the development of a concordat. Success will require ongoing dialogue with independent bodies, and a stronger focus by the relevant inspectorates. This paper summarises the context and findings of the review and subsequent policy developments, and may be useful for policy makers, practitioners in children’s social care and youth justice, and the police.

中文翻译:

在护理中,摆脱麻烦–政策角度

目的本文的目的是描述旨在减少英格兰和威尔士看护儿童犯罪的工作的当前政策背景,并考虑目前存在的持续减少看护儿童的数量和比例的潜力年轻人被不必要地定为犯罪。设计/方法/方法本文的作者在监狱改革基金会对由拉明勋爵主持的刑事司法系统中的照料儿童的独立审查中进行了独立审查,“关怀,摆脱困境”。本文描述了此次审查的背景,并概述了其与政府委托进行的并行审查的结果,并详细说明了政府的回应。该文件描述了目前正在采取的行动,以减少将照看儿童定为犯罪的行为,并指出,尽管英国和威尔士政府似乎愿意率先进行改革,但仍需要持续施加压力以确保将其转化为持续的变化。调查结果报告指出,尽管为防止这种情况进行了许多研究和法定指导,但照料儿童和年轻人在刑事司法系统中的代表人数仍然大大增加。在有共同目标的儿童社会护理服务机构与刑事司法机构密切合作的地方,成功解决了这一问题。该论文报道了威尔士和英国政府以及牵头机构对Laming Laming的审查以及同时进行的政府委托的审查的回应,证实了它们愿意在提高对有效地方联合工作的期望方面表现出国家领导能力。实际意义本文对当前保护儿童和年轻人免遭不必要的犯罪定罪的政策背景提供了见解,并阐明了英国和威尔士政府及国家机构为此目的所采取的承诺。它指出需要持续不断的外部压力以确保这些承诺转化为行动。社会影响本文旨在支持政策制定者和实践者改进实践,以保护照看的儿童免受不必要的刑事定罪。因此,希望它可以在改善照料儿童和年轻人的生活机会方面发挥作用,否则他们可能面临参与刑事司法系统的破坏性后果。原创性/价值Laming勋爵的评论是及时的,对照顾孩子的不必要的犯罪行为进行独立检查。现在,主要的政府部门和机构重新关注需要保护照看的儿童和青少年免遭不必要的犯罪,包括通过制定和解协议。要取得成功,就需要与独立机构进行持续的对话,并且相关视察机构应更加重视。本文总结了这次审查的背景和结果以及随后的政策发展,可能对政策制定者,儿童社会护理和青少年司法从业人员以及警察有用。现在,主要的政府部门和机构重新关注需要保护照看的儿童和青少年免遭不必要的犯罪,包括通过制定和解协议。要取得成功,就需要与独立机构进行持续的对话,而有关视察局也必须更加重视。本文总结了此次审查的背景和结果以及随后的政策发展,可能对政策制定者,儿童社会护理和青少年司法从业人员以及警察有用。现在,主要的政府部门和机构重新关注需要保护照看的儿童和青少年免遭不必要的犯罪,包括通过制定和解协议。要取得成功,就需要与独立机构进行持续的对话,并且相关视察机构应更加重视。本文总结了此次审查的背景和结果以及随后的政策发展,可能对政策制定者,儿童社会护理和青少年司法从业人员以及警察有用。
更新日期:2017-07-10
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