Final Warnings
The Final Warning was introduced in 2000 in an effort to encourage young people to take responsibility for their criminal actions and keep them from committing further offences. It replaced the old system of police cautions for young people. A young person arrested for a further offence within two years will almost always go to court.
What are the aims of the Final Warning?
The Final Warning:
- Aims to prevent re-offending by ensuring that the young person is made aware of the consequences and impact of criminal activity.
- Aims to take into account the wishes and feelings of victims of crime
- Aims to find out the reason for the offence and do something about the things in the young persons life which create a risk of further offending.
What would the Young Offender have to do?
The police officers in the Youth Offending Team work with children and young people on Final Warnings to ensure that these aims are met and to prevent further offending by children and young people.The Final Warning is given on the understanding that the Youth Offending Team (YOT) will work with the young offender and their parent/guardian to complete a short programme of intervention.
This will begin with an appointment for the young person and parent/guardian to see the YOT Police Officer or someone from the Youth Offending Team. This will be at the YOT Office, or at a central location. This appointment will either be made at the Police Station immediately after the Final warning has been given, or the Youth Offending Team will contact the family within 5 working days of the Warning being given.
It is very important that this appointment is kept! If a problem should arise to prevent you from keeping the appointment, please contact the YOT to re-arrange it.
What do Parents/Guardians have to do?
Parents/Guardians should:
- Attend all meetings with the young person
- Encourage the young person to appreciate fully the consequences of their offending behaviour
- Ensure that the young person successfully completes the programme.
What might the programme of work involve?
- Work on offending: Brief sessions of Offence and Victim focused work will be carried out at the YOT office by the YOT Police Officer or another member of the YOT team. This is to ensure that the young person fully understands the purpose of the Final Warning.
- Reparation: May involve the offender meeting his/her victim in person to make a verbal apology. Alternatively, the young person may be required to write a letter of apology and/or take part in several hours of practical activity, which benefits the victim of the crime, or the community as a whole.