Media Releases

28 November 2007

Ministry of Justice releases Youth Offending Teams evaluation

The Ministry of Justice released the results of an evaluation of Youth Offending Teams.

The evaluators surveyed staff across the country who participate in the 32 Youth Offending Teams. They found that the Teams encourage inter-agency engagement between their four agencies, and achieve positive benefits that would not otherwise occur. The report sets out nine recommendations for strengthening the initiative.

The teams were established in 2002 as part of the Youth Offending Strategy to improve coordination of the key government agencies working with young offenders: Police, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Health, and Child, Youth and Family.

This week over 500 delegates from all sectors have been meeting at a "Working Together conference" where the evaluation results have been considered alongside workshops which explore best practice for responding to youth offenders.

Both a summary and the full evaluation have been posted on the Ministry of Justice website at www.justice.govt.nz/pubs/reports

ENDS

For more information contact Tomas Kriha on (021) 636 416.