Youth Offending Team

The YOTs are responsible for those who have offended for the first time (receiving Reprimands, Final Warnings and Referral Orders), through to persistent offenders on Intensive Supervision and Surveillance Programmes (ISSP) or in custody. The role of the YOT is:

• preventing offending in the first instance, through targeted programmes
• carrying out standardised assessments using the ASSET framework. This helps determine why the young person offended; their family and lifestyle circumstances; specific mental health, drug or alcohol problems; the level of engagement in learning, training or employment; the level of educational attainment and the extent of any risk they pose to themselves or others
• delivering intervention programmes for those receiving a Final Warning from the Police
• supervising young people on Court Orders and community penalties, based on a supervision plan linked to the ASSET and drawing on the multi agency expertise co-located within the YOT
• providing a throughcare service to young people serving a custodial sentence - working with the YOI (Youth Offending Institution) or Secure Unit in developing a training plan, co-ordinating a resettlement plan and on release supervising the community part of the sentence
• providing a service to the Youth and Crown Courts