Mayor Ros Jones praises youth offending service for keeping kids out of trouble

New figures show children entering the justice system has fallen dramatically at around 66 per cent on April 2015.

Stats show 543 children entered the criminal justice system for the first time during 2014/2015 but this has dropped to 171.

Bosses have set a target to reduce the figure to 139 by 2020.

The figures have propelled Doncaster into one of the best performing council areas well below the national average.

Bosses have put this down to a new way of working by carrying out more interventions earlier and working more closely with parents.

Custody rates of Doncaster’ young people has also fallen the last four years. Managers at Doncaster Children’s Services Trust said this has been achieved by ‘improving the confidence of the courts’ in the community-based alternatives to custodial sentences offered by the Youth Offending Service.

Mayor Jones said: “I’m delighted to see this great record that this scheme has had continue in some very difficult circumstances because the Youth Offending Service and many other services and others in this borough have had money cut from budgets.

“We are trying to keep all the services to deliver for our residents who deserve it and we’re still in the top quartile in this area despite massive cuts.

“All I can do at this point is thank you on behalf of all the residents because where we can avoid anti-social behaviour makes life better for everyone and we cannot ask anymore of the service for what they’re delivering at this moment.”