Crime

Criminals intimidating young people from accessing gang diversion services - report

Report delivered positive findings about service effectiveness, although the authors were unable to access data to see if those who took part went on to repeat offend

Around 40 per cent of youth diversion project workers say that they believed intimidation from criminals was a problem for the young people, according to a report into the operation of the youth diversion programme. Picture: Getty

Members of the "local criminal fraternity” are intimidating young people from taking part in youth projects, according to a new report.

There are more than 100 different youth diversion programmes around the country aimed at steering vulnerable 12- to 17-year-olds away from becoming career criminals.

Most of the projects are based in areas with high levels of “serious crime” and their aim of getting young people away from criminal gangs is a threat to the ...