Increase in funding for social inclusion measures to tackle youth crime

19th December 2014

IPRT welcomes the announcement by the Minister for Justice and Equality of an increased allocation to the Irish Youth Justice Service Community Programmes, which will see: an expansion of Garda youth diversion programmes to additional locations around the country; the employment of additional youth justice workers in existing Garda Youth Diversion Projects; and the development of enhanced interventions to support young people coming to the attention of An Garda Síochána. The funding is intended to "enhance the range of social inclusion measures available to support young people, particularly in areas of economic and social disadvantage".

IPRT strongly advocates the diversion of young people away from the criminal justice system. Diversion at every stage throughout the system is crucial to improving outcomes, both for the young people themselves and also their families and communities. The success of the Garda youth diversion programmes is demonstrated by the reduction in crimes committed by young people in recent years.

The Minister also announced an allocation of €233,000 under the Dormant Accounts Disbursement Scheme to a number of initiatives to support the victims of crime, including the Crime Victims Helpline and the Victim Support at Court service.

Read the press release here.