Transcript The Juvenile Liaison Scheme by Sergeant Seilest Bradshaw

ROYAL
BARBADOS
POLICE FORCE
TO SERVE, PROTECT AND REASSURE
A PRIMARY DIVERSIONARY
PROGRAMME
Presented By:
SGT. SEILEST BRADSHAW
Juvenile Liaison Officer
BACKGROUND
 THE R.B.P.F. ESTABLISHED THE J.L.S IN
1983
 CONSULTATION WITH SOCIAL AGENCIES.
 BASED ON STATISTICAL DATA SHOWING
ALARMING INCREASES IN CRIMES
COMMITTED BY JUVENILES.
 PERSUASIONAL FACT:
MANY OF THE ADULTS INVOLVED IN CRIME HAD A HISTORY
OF CRIMINAL CONDUCT DURING ADOLESCENCE.
STRUCTURE
JUVENILE LIAISON COMMITTEE
JUVENILE LIAISON OFFICE
J. L. S. COMMITTEE
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CHAIRMAN {Commissioner or Nominee}
LIAISON OFFICERS
WELFARE DEPARTMENT
CHILD CARE BOARD
PROBATION DEPARTMENT
MINISTRY OF EDUCATION
ATTORNEY GENERAL’S OFFICE
CLERGY
JUVENILE LIAISON
OFFICE
 Head of Department
 (Sergeant S. Bradshaw)
 Three Constables
 Two males
 One female
OBJECTIVES
 To reduce juvenile delinquency.
 To divert juvenile offenders from the rigorous and
traumatic experiences of the Criminal Justice
System.
 To counsel juveniles, as well as their parents, who
are considered to be at risk of becoming involved
in criminal activity.
 To provide voluntary supervision of Juveniles.
IDENTIFICATION OF
JUVENILE
WHO CAN REFER ?
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POLICE OFFICERS
BUSINESS COMMUNITY
SOCIAL AGENCIES
SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS
PARENTS
CONCERNED CITIZENS
WHO IS REFERRED
 (Juveniles 11- 16 years)
 Juveniles who exhibit behavioural problem
 Juveniles who have committed minor
offences
CRITERIA:
 Provided that the aggrieved party has no
objections and is in agreement.
 Where it is a first offence
 The Juvenile in the presence of the parent admits
his/her wrongdoing and is willing to be a part of
the programme.
 Parents agree to have child/ward admitted
ENGAGING THE CLIENT
 On entering the scheme a juvenile is
counselled and supervised for a period of
six months.
 Counselling sessions are between thirty
forty-five minutes a week for the first four
weeks. Assessment/ Plan Intervention
ENGAGEMENT CONT’D
 If the juvenile shows signs of improvement, visits may be
adjusted to every two or three weeks as determined by the
counsellor.
 Home and school visits forms part of the ongoing
assessment.
 At the end of the six months the J.L.S Management
Committee makes a determination whether to administer
the Police Caution or extend the counselling period
POLICE CAUTION
 Where a juvenile commits an offence
subject to trial by a Magistrate.
 The police may take the decision to
caution the offender rather than
prosecute.
 First Offence, Circumstances
SUCCESS OF THE
SCHEME
 TRACER STUDY 1998
 RANDOM SAMPLE { 1984 1987 1991}
 20% OF PARTICIPANTS OF EACH YEAR
 Criminal Records Office (C.R.O.) of the
R.B.P.F. was used for verification of
subsequent convictions.
Study
PARTICIPANTS
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1984
1987
1991
Total
 Males
 Females
 56% referred for
criminal offences
31
24
24
79
 16% referred for
status offences
51
28
 28% for behavioural
problems
ADULT CONVICTION
# of
Convictions
# of Persons
Percentage
0
63
79.7 %
1-3
12
15 .2%
4-7
3
3.8 %
12 or more
1
1.3 %
TOTAL
79
100 %
ELAPSED TIME
 5
 7
 3
Clients 1-3 yrs
Clients 4-7 yrs
Clients 8-11 yrs
To February 1997
 1984 22.6 %
 1987 29 %
 1991 7 %
IMPLICATIONS
 Majority of offenders committed they first crime
four (4) years after release from the programme.
 Trends indicate that the further removed the clients
are from the programme the more likely they are to
commit criminal acts.
 In Britain (Home Office Circular 14/1994) there was
a 33% rate of subsequent convictions for similar
Schemes.
COORDINATED ACTIVITIES
• AUXILLARY STAFF - Volunteers
• SUPPORT GROUP - Parents
•PROGRAMMES
•CHRISTMAS
•SCHOOL OUTREACH
•SUMMER
•INDEPENDENCE
•GROWTH ORIENTED
 REMARKS
Motto:
LISTENING,
UNDERSTANDING
AND
SHARING