Youth offenders' policy praised (From Western Telegraph)

Youth offenders' policy praised

The Youth Justice Board has praised Pembrokeshires well focused approach to sentencing young offenders.

Figures released last week show the ratio of custodial sentences to community-based penalties in the county is one to 42, while the Welsh average is one to six.

The figures show that youth offenders in Pembrokeshire are far less likely to be sent to jail than in any other county throughout England and Wales. Claire Ogley, press officer for the board, said: 'This is exactly the way that the Youth Justice Board wants to go. We want magistrates to look at alternatives to short custodial sentences.'

Board chairman, Lord Warner, said: 'Short custodial sentences disrupt the lives of young people and make it more difficult to implement effective educational and behaviour changing programmes. They also waste resources.

'The board is also concerned at the wide disparity in sentencing highlighted in the latest figures. This is resulting in a significant element of justice by geography which is inherently unfair.'

According to the Youth Justice Board, reasons for this lack of uniformity include variations in the quality of pre-sentence reports provided to courts and the different attitudes taken by magistrates towards certain facts.

Stephen Whale, clerk to the Justices for Dyfed-Powys, said: 'Magistrates in all of Dyfed-Powys consider all their options before turning to custodial options. The most appropriate penalty is used in all circumstances.

Re-offending rates bear out that we are no worse and possibly better than other areas.'