The Diversion Programme is a package of measures for dealing with children between the age of 10 years and 18 years, who commit an offence or offences. The Programme is managed by a Garda Superintendent appointed by the Commissioner of An Garda Síochána. In order to be admitted to the programme a child must:
- be between the age of 10 years and 18 years
- accept responsibility for his/her criminal behaviour
- consent to being cautioned and were appropriate, supervised
Those children deemed suitable for admission are then issued with either an informal caution for a minor offence or a formal caution for those offences deemed more serious.
Restorative Justice has also had a large role to play in the Diversion Programme and the caution process. Sometimes the victim is invited to a formal caution, known as a restorative caution.
OVERVIEW OF FIGURES
- The total number of referrals made to the Diversion Programme during 2010 was 27,257 an increase of 3,305 or 13.8% on 2009.
- The total number of individual children referred to the programme was 17,986 which is a decrease of 533 or 2.9% from the 2009 total.
- 22% of children referred in 2010 were female while 78% were male
- Of those children referred, 12,899 (72%) were admitted to the Diversion Programme.
- 72% of those referred received cautions, with informal cautions accounting for 52% while 20% received formal cautions.
- 17% of children were deemed not suitable for inclusion in the Diversion Programme.
The Main Recommendations of the Committee were that:
- The Garda Analysis Service research recidivism rates for youths included in the Diversion Programme.
- The Garda Office for Children and Youth Affairs undertake a review of all cases where the young person is under 16 years of age and has been deemed unsuitable for inclusion in the Diversion Programme for all future cases.
- Consideration is given to adapting restorative practices for all Juvenile Liaison Officers work.
Read the full Report here.
Read the Minister's Press Release here.