Press release
Minister Browne opens annual Garda Youth Diversion Project Conference
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Published on
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The Minister of State for Law Reform, James Browne TD, has today opened the annual Garda Youth Diversion Project (GYDP) conference. This year’s virtual, 2-day event is the first in two years following the cancellation of the 2020 conference with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Attendees at this year’s conference include youth project workers, community Gardaí, representatives from non-governmental organisations, academics and officials from the Department of Justice. The event is particularly timely, following the recent publication of the new Youth Justice Strategy 2021-2027.
Minister Browne said:
"Youth crime and anti-social behaviour have a detrimental impact on our communities and there are significant challenges for An Garda Síochána and other agencies and service providers in responding to these concerns. I welcome this conference in bringing everyone together to share experiences at community level and to learn about the considerable and ever-expanding research available to inform and guide this essential work.
"The core principle of the new Youth Justice Strategy, launched by Minister McEntee and I earlier this month, is to maximise the opportunities available to young people to choose a different path towards a more constructive and fulfilling life. The Strategy will make a valuable contribution to the youth justice sector, by providing a robust framework to address ongoing priorities in tandem with emerging issues.
"The return of the conference after an unexpected 2-year gap provides an important opportunity to discuss next steps towards ensuring a brighter future for our young people by supporting and driving measures to divert them away from crime and offer them real and positive alternatives."
The new Youth Justice Strategy will have a significant impact on Garda Youth Diversion Projects (GYDPs), enhancing and strengthening the role of GYDPs and extending the service to those areas yet to be covered by the projects.
The conference comprises a selection of presentations by experts in the youth justice sector and a number of thematic breakout sessions for conference participants. The conference also showcases youth project work.
Guest speakers include Dr Sean Redmond (University of Limerick / Research into Policy Programme), Chief Superintendent Colette Quinn (with responsibility for the Garda Síochána Youth Diversion Programme), Dr Ian Marder (NUI Maynooth) and Dr Sharon Lambert (University College Cork).
Minister Browne thanked all present at the conference for their ongoing commitment to the safety and wellbeing of young people across the country:
"Thank you for responding to the unique challenges presented by COVID-19 over the past year and for making such a concerted effort to ensure you continue to support our young people and their families."
The conference will run over 27 and 28 April. Each day, participants will view presentations from academic and professional experts, and showcases on the success and challenges of particular projects, as well as take part in Q&A and breakout discussion sessions. Each day will begin at 09:30 and finish at 13:30.
A copy of the Youth Justice Strategy 2021-27 can be downloaded from the Department of Justice website.
Census 2016 recorded about 375,000 young people in the 12-17 years of age category. Garda figures indicates that about 3% of that number will commit an offence annually. 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.
Research shows strong links between youth offending and socio-economic circumstances, as well as child and family welfare issues. Offending behaviour cannot be considered in isolation and a key focus of this Strategy is considering how youth justice policy might be more closely aligned to other child and youth polices and to the promotion of community and local development.
Children who commit crimes are prosecuted only as the last resort, with diversion into the statutory Garda Youth Diversion Programme being the default option except in the case of serious crimes, or serious repeat offending. The statutory Garda Youth Diversion Programme is managed and supported by a network of over 100 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 Youth Justice Strategy include enhancing and strengthening the role of GYDPs and extending the service to a number of areas not already covered so as to ensure that the service is available throughout the State within the next two years.