Bail and remand supervision scheme
The Youth Offending Service 'Bail and Remand Supervision Scheme' offers supervision to young people in Walsall who are remanded into custody or Local Authority accommodation, or those who have been given specific bail conditions.
Walsall's Bail and Remand Supervision Scheme, endeavors to obtain the appropriate balance between the young person's needs and those of the Criminal Justice System. To allow the scheme to be successful, Walsall Youth Offending Service seeks to ensure that their scheme is pro-active and localised.
Aims of the Youth Justice Board
The Youth Justice Board aims to ensure that all Local Authorities fulfill their statutory obligations and provides bail supervision for their service users.
The Youth Justice Board has three key objectives in helping YOS’s to deliver bail supervision, namely to:
- Reduce the unnecessary use of custody/secure facilities/or local authority accommodation for young people on remand;
- Reduce re-offending on bail
- Reduce delays caused by non-appearance in Court.
What are the local aims?
The aim of the scheme is to help young people to complete successfully their period on bail or remand by ensuring they return to Court on the due date, having abided by all conditions and without committing further offences or interfering with witnesses. This should enable the Courts to consider a practical and credible alternative to custodial remand.
The Walsall Bail and Remand Supervision Scheme is a conditional scheme. As a requirement of bail, there is a condition of compliance with the scheme - the Courts make this Order.
How is this achieved?
Each young person who is accepted onto the scheme is individually assessed, and a tailor-made programme is then drawn up by the Bail Support Officer, based on the needs and history of the young person. The programme assists the young person with accessing or re-integrating into education, employment or training. The contents of the programme will vary, and will include such interventions as one-to-one counselling, mentoring and recreational activities.
Regular sessions are held with the young person and the Bail Support Officer, as well as referrals to other appropriate resources.
Who can be referred?
Anyone between the ages of 10 and 17 years, who is at risk of remand into custody or Local Authority accommodation, can be referred.
Conditions of the programme
Each young person offered a place must agree to the conditions and sign a contract. At the time the bail is set, a condition of compliance with the scheme is made by the Courts. Failure to comply with the scheme will result in the young person being brought back immediately before the Courts for the bail decision to be reviewed.
Length of the programme
The programme lasts for the duration of the bail or remand set by the Courts. At the end of the programme, there is a comprehensive handover to the YOS Officer, who will be submitting reports for the Courts.
What does the Bail and Remand supervision programme provide?
The programme
The Bail & Remand Supervision programme will have a high level of input to prevent further offending. Such as, supervision, information sharing, support. The programme will specifically address the following areas;
Offending
Firstly, he or she will meet with the Youth Offending Service on one afternoon a week, to deal with issues regarding behaviour. Such as, anger management, offence related work, counselling, advice.
Education
We aim to access appropriate resources dependent on age such as, schooling, careers advice, life skills programmes.
Leisure
Provide an Outreach Worker, who will work with him or her two evenings a week, dealing with specific issues such as, response to the supervision programme, interaction with peers, appropriate use of leisure time, promoting a positive self image and developing self-esteem and confidence.
Accommodation
The scheme will always assess the young person's home situation and, if appropriate, provide a bail programme that supervises the young person at home or with their foster carer, if in care with the Local Authority. Also, looking at specific issues such as family support, assistance with benefits/housing advice
Attendance at court
Through regular communication with the young person and their family, every effort will be made to ensure attendance at court. Such as telephone contact, letters, escorting.
Boundaries
As a part of the programme a curfew, with all the above mentioned, will enable us to work effectively with the young person.