Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 18 April 2023
1022. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Justice the number of young people who have entered Garda diversion programmes from 2019 to date; where these programmes are in operation; if follow up data is collected on those leaving the programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18052/23]
View answerAs the Deputy may be aware, Youth Diversion Projects (YDPs) are community based, multi-agency youth crime prevention initiatives which primarily seek to divert young people who have been, or are at risk of becoming, involved in anti-social and/or criminal behaviour.
There are currently over 100 YDPs in operation and the intention of this year’s Justice Plan, under the Youth Justice Strategy, is to provide full geographic availability of youth diversion services throughout the State by end-2023. These projects provide an invaluable support to complement the work of An Garda Síochána in addressing youth crime and protect local communities.
The table below sets out the details of new YDP participants for each year from 2019 to 2022. 2023 figures will not be available until next year.
|
YDP Participants |
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
2022* |
|
Commencements |
1,433 |
1,100 |
1,160 |
1,790 |
* Participant numbers taken from 2022 Annual Reports are provisional and subject to change
For the information of the Deputy, the table appended to this answer gives a breakdown of YDPs nationwide currently receiving funding from my Department, as of the end of 2022, and their locations.
I can advise the Deputy that follow-up data was collected for YDP participants reported under the European Social Fund: The Programme for Employability, Inclusion and Learning (ESF PEIL) 2014-2020, but are no longer required under the new ESF Employment, Inclusion, Skills and Training
Programme (ESF+ EIST).
I can also advise the Deputy that my Department has a dedicated youth justice partnership with the internationally recognised REPPP team (Research Evidence into Policy Programmes and Practice) at the University of Limerick which is guiding the development of programmes and practices within the framework of the Youth Justice Strategy. This includes the REPPP Action Research Project which aims to co-design and implement new guidance on effective practitioner and young person relationships in Youth Diversion Projects (YDPs). This has been done using 16 YDP sites nationwide and involving them in a trial process over 2 years. REPPP is also providing dedicated research and expert support, including best practice support for the nationwide project network (to roll out expanded and additional YDPs to fully ensure national coverage), facilitated by the REPPP project team.
