More than 18,500 children engaged in criminal or anti-social behaviour were referred last year to Garda programmes aimed at keeping them out of the courts system.
Minister for Children Barry Andrews today published the annual report of the Garda Diversion Programme, which revealed a 13 per cent reduction in the number of incidents referred to the programme, and a drop of 14 per cent in the number of children referred. The total number of incidents referred in 2009 was 23,952.
The programme aims to deal with child offenders through the administration of a formal or informal caution, to divert the youth away from the courts and to minimise the likelihood of further offending.
Mr Andrews noted the majority (10,059) of the children admitted to the programme were given an informal caution, i.e. without juvenile liaison officer supervision.
Such cautions, generally applied for a first offence or a repeat minor offence, were down 15 per cent on the previous year.
Just under 4,000 children were given a formal caution, with a period of supervision. Some 2,966 children were deemed unsuitable for diversion and these files were returned to the local Garda superintendent for possible prosecution.
The top three youth offences for those referred to the programme in 2009 were alcohol offences (17.6 per cent), theft (16.6 per cent) and traffic offences (13 per cent).
But when compared to 2008, alcohol offences were down by 22 per cent, traffic offences by 25 per cent and theft by 3.5 per cent.
Mr Andrews said it was important not to get complacent and that efforts to reduce and prevent youth crime must continue.
“The implementation of the National Youth Justice Strategy and the efforts of the Irish Youth Justice Service and its strategic partners, especially An Garda Síochána and the Probation Service, have a vital part to play,” he said.
The Minister said seven new juvenile liaison officer posts were created and filled in 2009, bringing the total number to 116 across the country.
An additional seven such posts are due to be created and filled during 2010.
Community-based Garda youth diversion projects are funded by the Irish Youth Justice Service through An Garda Síochána.
Chair of the Garda Diversion Programme, Assistant Garda Commissioner Louis Harkin, said there was no change to the age profile of children referred to the programme, with 16- and 17-year-olds making up 24 per cent and 35 per cent of referrals respectively.