ROYAL ROYAL BARBADOS BARBADOS

POLICE FORCEPOLICE FORCE

TO SERVE, PROTECT AND REASSURE

A PRIMARY DIVERSIONARYA PRIMARY DIVERSIONARY

PROGRAMMEPROGRAMME Presented By:Presented By:

SGT. SEILEST BRADSHAWSGT. SEILEST BRADSHAWJuvenile Liaison OfficerJuvenile Liaison Officer

BACKGROUNDBACKGROUND

THE R.B.P.F. ESTABLISHED THE J.L.S IN THE R.B.P.F. ESTABLISHED THE J.L.S IN 19831983

CONSULTATION WITH SOCIAL AGENCIES.CONSULTATION WITH SOCIAL AGENCIES.

BASED ON STATISTICAL DATA SHOWING BASED ON STATISTICAL DATA SHOWING ALARMING INCREASES IN CRIMES ALARMING INCREASES IN CRIMES COMMITTED BY JUVENILES.COMMITTED BY JUVENILES.

PERSUASIONAL FACT: PERSUASIONAL FACT: MANY OF THE ADULTS INVOLVED IN CRIME HAD A HISTORY MANY OF THE ADULTS INVOLVED IN CRIME HAD A HISTORY OF CRIMINAL CONDUCT DURING ADOLESCENCE.OF CRIMINAL CONDUCT DURING ADOLESCENCE.

STRUCTURE

JUVENILE LIAISON COMMITTEE

JUVENILE LIAISON OFFICE

J. L. S. COMMITTEEJ. L. S. COMMITTEE

CHAIRMAN {Commissioner or Nominee}CHAIRMAN {Commissioner or Nominee} LIAISON OFFICERSLIAISON OFFICERS WELFARE DEPARTMENTWELFARE DEPARTMENT CHILD CARE BOARDCHILD CARE BOARD PROBATION DEPARTMENTPROBATION DEPARTMENT MINISTRY OF EDUCATIONMINISTRY OF EDUCATION ATTORNEY GENERAL’S OFFICEATTORNEY GENERAL’S OFFICE CLERGYCLERGY

JUVENILE LIAISON OFFICEJUVENILE LIAISON OFFICE

Head of DepartmentHead of Department (Sergeant S. Bradshaw)(Sergeant S. Bradshaw)

Three ConstablesThree Constables Two malesTwo males One femaleOne female

OBJECTIVESOBJECTIVES To reduce juvenile delinquency.To reduce juvenile delinquency.

To divert juvenile offenders from the rigorous and traumatic To divert juvenile offenders from the rigorous and traumatic experiences of the Criminal Justice System.experiences of the Criminal Justice System.

To counsel juveniles, as well as their parents, who are To counsel juveniles, as well as their parents, who are considered to be at risk of becoming involved in criminal activity.considered to be at risk of becoming involved in criminal activity.

To provide voluntary supervision of Juveniles. To provide voluntary supervision of Juveniles.

IDENTIFICATION OF IDENTIFICATION OF JUVENILEJUVENILE

WHO CAN REFER ?WHO CAN REFER ?

POLICE OFFICERS POLICE OFFICERS BUSINESS COMMUNITYBUSINESS COMMUNITY SOCIAL AGENCIES SOCIAL AGENCIES SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS PARENTSPARENTS CONCERNED CITIZENSCONCERNED CITIZENS

WHO IS REFERREDWHO IS REFERRED (Juveniles 11- 16 years)(Juveniles 11- 16 years)

Juveniles who exhibit behavioural problemJuveniles who exhibit behavioural problem

Juveniles who have committed minor Juveniles who have committed minor offencesoffences

CRITERIA:CRITERIA:

Provided that the aggrieved party has no Provided that the aggrieved party has no objections and is in agreement.objections and is in agreement.

Where it is a first offenceWhere it is a first offence

The Juvenile in the presence of the parent admits The Juvenile in the presence of the parent admits his/her wrongdoing and is willing to be a part of his/her wrongdoing and is willing to be a part of the programme. the programme.

Parents agree to have child/ward admittedParents agree to have child/ward admitted

ENGAGING THE CLIENTENGAGING THE CLIENT

On entering the scheme a juvenile is On entering the scheme a juvenile is counselled and supervised for a period of counselled and supervised for a period of six months.six months.

Counselling sessions are between thirty Counselling sessions are between thirty forty-five minutes a week for the first four forty-five minutes a week for the first four weeks. Assessment/ Plan Interventionweeks. Assessment/ Plan Intervention

ENGAGEMENT CONT’DENGAGEMENT CONT’D

If the juvenile shows signs of improvement, visits may be If the juvenile shows signs of improvement, visits may be adjusted to every two or three weeks as determined by the adjusted to every two or three weeks as determined by the counsellor. counsellor.

Home and school visits forms part of the ongoing Home and school visits forms part of the ongoing assessment. assessment. 

At the end of the six months the J.L.S Management At the end of the six months the J.L.S Management Committee makes a determination whether to administer Committee makes a determination whether to administer the Police Caution or extend the counselling periodthe Police Caution or extend the counselling period

POLICE CAUTIONPOLICE CAUTION

Where a juvenile commits an offence Where a juvenile commits an offence subject to trial by a Magistrate. subject to trial by a Magistrate.

The police may take the decision to The police may take the decision to caution the offender rather than caution the offender rather than prosecute.prosecute.

First Offence, CircumstancesFirst Offence, Circumstances

SUCCESS OF THE SCHEMESUCCESS OF THE SCHEME

TRACER STUDY 1998TRACER STUDY 1998

RANDOM SAMPLE { 1984 1987 1991}RANDOM SAMPLE { 1984 1987 1991}

20% OF PARTICIPANTS OF EACH YEAR20% OF PARTICIPANTS OF EACH YEAR

Criminal Records Office (C.R.O.) of the Criminal Records Office (C.R.O.) of the R.B.P.F. was used for verification of R.B.P.F. was used for verification of subsequent convictions.subsequent convictions.

StudyStudy

PARTICIPANTSPARTICIPANTS

19841984 3131 19871987 2424 19911991 2424 Total 79Total 79

Males 51Males 51 Females 28Females 28

56% referred for 56% referred for criminal offencescriminal offences

16% referred for 16% referred for status offencesstatus offences

28% for behavioural 28% for behavioural problemsproblems

ADULT CONVICTIONADULT CONVICTION

# of # of ConvictionsConvictions

# of Persons# of Persons PercentagePercentage

00 6363 79.7 %79.7 %

1-31-3 1212 15 .2%15 .2%

4-74-7 33 3.8 %3.8 %

12 or more12 or more 11 1.3 %1.3 %

TOTALTOTAL 7979 100 %100 %

ELAPSED TIMEELAPSED TIME

5 5 Clients 1-3 Clients 1-3 yrsyrs

7 7 Clients 4-7 Clients 4-7 yrsyrs

33 Clients 8-11 Clients 8-11 yrsyrs

To February 1997To February 1997 1984 22.6 %1984 22.6 % 1987 29 %1987 29 % 1991 7 %1991 7 %

IMPLICATIONSIMPLICATIONS Majority of offenders committed they first crime Majority of offenders committed they first crime

four (4) years after release from the programme.four (4) years after release from the programme.

Trends indicate that the further removed the clients Trends indicate that the further removed the clients are from the programme the more likely they are to are from the programme the more likely they are to commit criminal acts. commit criminal acts.

In Britain (Home Office Circular 14/1994) there was In Britain (Home Office Circular 14/1994) there was a 33% rate of subsequent convictions for similar a 33% rate of subsequent convictions for similar Schemes. Schemes.

• AUXILLARY STAFF - Volunteers

• SUPPORT GROUP - Parents

•PROGRAMMES•CHRISTMAS CHRISTMAS •SCHOOL OUTREACHSCHOOL OUTREACH•SUMMERSUMMER•INDEPENDENCEINDEPENDENCE•GROWTH ORIENTEDGROWTH ORIENTED

COORDINATED ACTIVITIES

REMARKSREMARKS

Motto:

LISTENING, UNDERSTANDING

AND

SHARING