Written evidence to be reported to the House
Criminal Justice and Immigration Bill
3:15 pm
Harry Cohen (Leyton and Wanstead, Labour)
Thank you, Sir. Nicholas. When the Magistrates Association’s representatives were before us, they answered one question by saying that they would prefer what they called diversion and recall processes than youngsters coming to court at all. From my reading of the Bill, one cannot get a youth rehabilitation order without it going to court. Is that right and, if diversion is to be our priority, should not there be some sort of power for the local authority or teams in the area to do a sort of YRO or its equivalent? Could that be reflected in the legislation so that the order would not have to go to court?