Evidence review: diverting young adults away from the cycle of crisis and crime
Lauren Bennett and Elsa Corry-Roake
Too many young people come into criminal justice system because of multiple unmet needs. Diverting them into support and treatment can help them to grow out of a cycle of crisis and crime and realise their full potential. The right support can reduce crime in local areas and prevent future victims of gangs and exploitation. In my experience, young people are drawn into the criminal justice system to make ends meet, or just to keep ‘occupied’. If a positive alternative is put in place, this will not only help the young people, but will help their families and communities. It is unfortunate that the criminal justice interventions do not consider what happens to the young person after they leave the service. Future planning and leaving a door open can prevent issues from escalating and prevent young people from returning to the criminal justice system. This review highlights a number of effective ways to support young people. What made the biggest difference for me was having a consistent support worker who worked with me at every step of my journey, taught me how to notice patterns, followed up after I left the service, and encouraged me to seek help. I liked how they did not judge me or make me feel less than. This made me see the light at the end of the tunnel and push me to make the positive changes and embark on my journey to change.
This evidence review examines the effectiveness of different types of diversion support for young people aged 18-25. Given the particular characteristics of young adults that set them apart from fully mature adults, this paper examines the ways in which their needs differ from the latter. It highlights the practice and policy approaches that have been found to be effective in supporting young people to move away from the cycle of crime, notably key elements of support that can be provided as part of an out of court disposal.
London: Revolving Door Agency.....38p.