Press release
Minister of State James Browne meets with Donegal Garda Youth Diversion Project
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Minister of State with responsibility for Youth Justice, James Browne TD, this morning met with representatives of Donegal Garda Youth Diversion Project (GYDP), which covers all of Co. Donegal and is supported by Foróige.
This meeting was an opportunity to discuss the challenges encountered in Donegal by Juvenile Liaison Officers (JLOs) and Youth Justice Workers in their front-line engagement with young people.
It also afforded the local Garda and project representatives at the meeting a chance to report on their plans to develop cross border diversion work in partnership with the PSNI, and the new early intervention programme they are operating.
Following the meeting, Minister Browne said:
"The admirable work of Donegal GYDP is vital in our efforts to divert vulnerable young people from a life of anti-social behaviour or crime by offering positive options and alternatives to help them choose a better path.
"An important aspect of the new Youth Justice Strategy will be to enhance the engagement with children and young people who are most at risk of involvement in criminal activity, principally by enhancing the services available through the existing 105 Garda Youth Diversion Projects.
"I met with Donegal GYDP today with my officials to learn from their experience. I was also very interested to hear and discuss their plans to work closely with the PSNI on a cross border youth diversion initiative, which I hope will be successful in diverting young people from a life of criminality.
"The on-the-ground experience from their work and the work of other GYDPs will be important in guiding implementation of the new Strategy, which I will bring to Government very shortly. I particularly wanted to hear at first hand about the specific challenges and issues facing young people in Donegal."
This meeting is one of a series of upcoming meetings between Minister of State Browne and groups working in the youth justice area. They provide an opportunity for front line organisations to share their experience and further inform policy making within the Department of Justice as the new Youth Justice Strategy nears publication in the coming weeks.
The proportion of our children and young people involved in crime is extremely small. The Youth Justice System generally interacts with those aged 12- 17, of which Census 2016 recorded about 375,000 in the 12-17 years age category. Garda figures indicates that about 3% of that number will commit an offence annually. About 4,000 young people participate in the work of GYDPs in any one year.
In youth cases coming before the Courts, over 50% are dismissed, struck out or taken into consideration, highlighting the comparatively minor nature of a lot of youth crime. Garda experience indicates that a significant number of young people who commit a crime will effectively “grow out” of offending behaviour as they mature into adulthood.
Children who commit crimes are prosecuted only as the last resort, with diversion into the statutory Garda Diversion Programme being the default option except in the case of serious crimes, or serious repeat offending. The statutory Garda Diversion Programme is managed and supported by a network of Garda Youth Diversion Projects, each of which is managed by a community-based organisation (CBO), which may be a youth services or a local community resource centre.
The commitments in the forthcoming Youth Justice Strategy will include enhancing and strengthening the role of GYDPs and extending the service to a small number of areas not already covered so as to ensure that the service is available throughout the State.
Donegal GYDP covers the entire county, operating from 5 separate bases in Raphoe, Letterkenny, Buncrana Base, An Fál Carrach and Donegal town. It is managed and supported by Foróige, which also acts as Community-Based Organisation (CBO) for some 44 GYDPs throughout the State.
The GYDP has excellent links and positive relations with Donegal communities and two of the bases have been established for nearly 20 years.
The GYDP also has a close working relationship with community agencies i.e. family support services, Schools, HSE, CYPSC and various youth organisations. The GYDP justice workers sit on various community based committees in order to create and maintain essential links, i.e. Tusla Child and Family Support Networks (CFSN) in the various catchment areas.
The Project Committee includes three JLOs who are based in specific Districts within Co. Donegal, have a very comprehensive knowledge and understanding of communities across Donegal, and are able to present patterns of negative behaviour and highlight appropriate interventions needed and assist with points of contact in the communities. In the last two years, the Donegal GYDP has expanded to ensure countywide provision of service. The GYDP advisory committee is currently being expanded to ensure enhanced connections with other community organisations and service providers. The GYDP has liaised with the CYPSC in relation to the plan for young people in Donegal, specifically outcome 3 ‘safe and protected from harm’. Foróige as CBO sits on the Donegal ETB Youthwork Advisory Committee.
The funding for Donegal GYDP in 2021 is €498,385, which includes 5 Youth Justice Workers and 3 Family Support Workers. In addition, an application for funding for 2 additional staff with a particular focus on cross-border work has been approved in principle, with an operational commencement date to be agreed.