Victims
Bridgend Youth Offending Team wishes to actively encourage victims to participate in Youth Offender Panels. The Panels are designed to provide the victim with an opportunity to gain answers to the questions that only the young person who committed the offence can answer. Questions such as 'Why me?' 'Were you watching me?'
Youth Offender Panels are held in local community venues at a time to suit everyone involved in the meeting, e.g. the victim, the Community Panel Members and the young person and their parent(s).
Anyone who is a victim of a youth crime where the young person has received a Referral Order will be offered the opportunity to attend a Youth Offender Panel.
Prior to the panel victims will be contacted by the Victim Liaison Officer, who will explain the Referral Order process, invite victims to a Youth Offender Panel and outline the options available to them.
Victims can chose to:-
- Attend the meeting, discuss the impact of the offence and put forward suggestions for reparation.
- Request that the Victim Liaison Officer attends on their behalf to put forward their views.
- Provide a written/video-taped statement to be produced at the panel.
OR - Not to attend the meeting, but request feedback on the contents of the agreement between the young person and the Community Panel Members.
Although Bridgend Youth Offending Team would like to encourage victims to attend, we can understand why some people may not wish to attend. The Victim Liaison Officer will explain all the options available and allow victims sufficient time to make an informed choice about whether or not to attend.
Youth Offender Panels are an opportunity for victims to have their say and to be kept informed. Bridgend Youth Offending Team will provide feedback on the progress of the young person during the course of their Order, if requested, whether or not the young person is successful.
Bridgend Youth Offending Team has found that participation of victims in the Referral Order process can have a dramatic effect on how the young people view their offences.
During the first year of Referral Orders attendance by victims at Youth Offender Panels was running between 37% and 50%. This willingness to participate by victims has, we believe, influenced the number of successful Referral Orders achieved in the year (68% successful).
Victim attendance during the second year of Referral Orders has dropped down to between 25% to 28%. We have also seen a rise in the number of Referral Orders revoked.
Bridgend Youth Offending Team would like to see more victims become involved with the Youth Offender Panels. Victim involvement really does make a difference bringing home to young people the consequences of their offending behaviour by making them accountable for their actions.
To find out more about victim participation please contact Mrs Joan Watkins, the Victim Liaison Officer, on 01656 657243.
- Last Updated: 17/08/2005
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