gov - Youth Justice Strategy 2021

Strategy
Research Documents
Implementation Reports
Annual Reports of the Committee Appointed to Monitor the Effectiveness of the Diversion Programme

A new Youth Justice Strategy 2021 - 2027 has been developed under the guidance of an expert Steering Group chaired by Minister of State James Browne TD and with the benefit of broad consultation with stakeholders.

The Strategy is conceived largely as a developmental framework, which provides a starting point for a range of actions and initiatives. It is grounded on child welfare principles, deriving in particular from the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. The Objectives in the Strategy are premised on the need to maximise opportunities to promote positive behavioural change, and it includes a wide range of issues relevant to children and young people at risk of coming into contact with the criminal justice system, including:

early intervention and preventative work
family support
diversion from crime
court processes
supervision and support in the community
detention and support post release

Pursuing this broad agenda will be based on cooperative working as reflected in the Vision Statement for the Strategy:

"Collaborating across all sectors of government and society in the development and delivery of opportunities for children and young people, to harness support in their families and communities in order to strengthen their capacities to live free from crime and harm."

The Strategy emphasises evidence-informed development of programmes and interventions. Implementation of the Strategy will prioritise enhancement of existing services such as Youth Diversion Projects (YDPs) and developing a range of more specialised interventions with a particular focus on harder-to-reach children and young people.

Youth Diversion Projects are co-funded by the Irish Government and European Social Fund as part of the ESF Programme for Employability, Inclusion and Learning 2021-2027.