FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Irish Youth Justice Service?
What is the Garda Juvenile Diversion Programme?
What are Garda Youth Diversion Projects?
What is a Community Sanction?
What are Anti-Social Behaviour Orders (ASBOs)?
What is the purpose of Children Detention Schools?
Where are the Children Detention Schools?
How do I contact the Irish Youth Justice Service?
What is the Irish Youth Justice Service?
The Irish Youth Justice Service (IYJS) is an executive office of the Department of Justice and Law Reform with responsibility for leading and driving reform in the area of youth justice. Our remit is to improve the delivery of services to young people aged less than 18 years who find themselves in conflict with the law and reduce youth offending. This challenge is met by focusing on diversion and rehabilitation involving greater use of community based interventions and the promotion of initiatives to deal with young people who offend.
What is the Garda Juvenile Diversion Programme?
If a child under the age of 18 years accepts responsibility for an offence he/she has committed, then the child may receive a caution from a member of An Garda Síochána rather than a prosecution. The decision to give a caution depends on whether the child admits that he/she committed the offence; the seriousness of the offence; and the previous criminal history of the child. The Garda Juvenile Diversion Programme is run by the Garda Juvenile Liaison Office.
What are Garda Youth Diversion Projects?
Garda Youth Diversion Projects are community-based activities to help children move away from doing things that might get them or their friends into trouble with the law. There are 100 Diversion Projects across Ireland. They offer opportunities for children to become involved in positive activities and stay away from the Court system and out of custody. They are funded by IYJS and run by local management companies and administered by the Garda Community Relations Section.
If a child goes to Court and is found or pleads guilty to a crime, a Judge can decide to sentence the child to a Community Sanction. This means that the child will receive an order from the Court to do some service in his/her community or, for example, attend a particular programme. This allows the child to stay in school and at home in their community. There are 10 from which the Judge can choose, for example, Community Service, Intensive Supervision and a Day Centre Order.
What are Anti-Social Behaviour Orders (ASBOs)?
A number of measures to address anti-social behaviour by children were introduced in March 2007. Behaviour Orders offer an alternative way of dealing with anti-social behaviour by children other than going through the criminal process. There are a series of steps which must be undertaken before a senior member of An Garda Síochána can seek a behaviour order through the Courts. A behaviour order will remain in force for a maximum period of 2 years. For more information please see www.asboireland.ie.
What is the purpose of Children Detention Schools?
When a child commits an offence and is charged and convicted before the court, there are a number of sentencing options available to the judge. The Court can impose a range of community sanctions, which will address the child’s offending behaviour, while still allowing him/her stay in their own family, community and school.
However, if the Court cannot find any other option available to address the offences which the child has committed, the Court may send the child to a Children Detention School. Detention schools provide educational, training and other programmes and facilities. They provide proper care and guidance for children and help them to lead law abiding lives when they return to their communities.
Where are the Children Detention Schools?
There are four children detention schools: Oberstown Boys School, Oberstown Girls School and Trinity House, which are located on Oberstown Campus in Lusk, Co. Dublin, and Finglas Child and Adolescent Centre which is located on Kildonan Road, Finglas, Dublin 11.
How do I contact the Irish Youth Justice Service?
Our full contact details are available on the Contact Us section of the IYJS home page. Our address is:
Irish Youth Justice Service
Department of Justice and Law Reform
2nd Floor
Montague Court
7-11 Montague Street
Dublin 2
