Lord Irvine: Written to magistrates.

Government asks magistrates to help speed up Juvenile Justice

Lord Irvine has written to magistrates urging them to adopt a series of measures designed to accelerate the juvenile justice process. Reducing the length of time it takes to process persistent young offenders through the courts is a key element of the package of youth justice reforms which will make up the bulk of the Government's forthcoming Crime and Disorder Bill.

In his letter, Lord Irvine told magistrates: "Speed is essential in confronting young people with what they have done and the consequences which flow from that behaviour. "Delay disconnects the offence from the punishment and may waste months of the young person's development. There is a real urgency in dealing with all young offenders, and especially persistent offenders, really promptly."

Lord Irvine's initiative reinforces the Government's determination to tackle youth crime, a top priority on its law and order agenda. It is intended to assist Home Secretary Jack Straw in his efforts to halve the time it takes to get persistent offenders from arrest to sentencing. The current average is around four and a half months.

Yesterday,Mr Straw announced the establishment of a Youth Justice Task Force made up of senior police officers and representatives from the probation and social services, as well as government departments, to advise on his plans for a wide-ranging shake-up of the youth justice system.

He said that too often the existing system, with its many delays, "perversely" reinforced youth crime rather than nipping it in the bud.