Services
- Young people - advice, support and activities
- Community Payback Order
- Court Orders involving Unpaid Work in the community
- Court reports
- Diversion from Prosecution Scheme
- Drug Treatment and Testing Orders (DTTO)
- Fines and Compensation Orders
- Probation Orders
- Risk Assessment and Management
- West Lothian's Criminal Justice Teams and their services
Youth offending - sentences, orders and supervision
Offending by young people under the age of 16 is, in most circumstances, managed by the Children's Hearing system. Offenders over the age of 16 will normally appear in court, but in restricted circumstances the Children's Hearing will have a continuing role for 16 and 17 year-olds. The Children's Hearing can impose Supervision Requirements on children living at home or in other accommodation.
For young offenders aged over 16, the courts will normally consider the full range of sentences. Courts are now required to consider all community-based options before using custody. This will now most often require the use of a Community Payback Order (new window), which may involve a combination of supervision, doing unpaid work and other counselling (for example for addiction problems). The court decides what requirements to attach to the order on the basis of a full Social Work assessment within a Criminal Justice Social Work Report (new window).
updated: 15/09/11