Joe Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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Question 16: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform his plans to increase the number of juvenile liaison officers in view of the proven success in dealing with juvenile offenders; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15665/06]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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I have been informed by the Garda authorities, which are responsible for the detailed allocation of resources, including personnel, that at present there are 94 juvenile liaison officers, JLOs — 86 gardaí and eight sergeants — working in the various divisions throughout the country.

JLOs are responsible for implementing the Garda juvenile diversion programme, which provides an opportunity to divert juvenile offenders from criminal activity. It operates on a nationwide basis under the supervision and direction of the Garda National Juvenile Office, Harcourt Square, Dublin 2. The programme provides that, in certain circumstances, a juvenile under 18 years of age, who freely accepts responsibility for a criminal incident, may be cautioned as an alternative to prosecution.

The Children Act 2001, which came into law in May 2002, gave a statutory basis to the juvenile diversion programme which includes a restorative justice aspect. The programme has proven to be highly successful in diverting young people away from crime by offering guidance and support to juveniles and their families. In the more serious cases, juveniles are placed under the supervision of Garda juvenile liaison officers, who are responsible for administering the programme at the local level.

Ongoing evaluation of restorative justice practice is being carried out by the Garda research unit. All Garda juvenile liaison officers have received training in restorative justice and over half have received training in mediation skills. The ongoing development of restorative justice within the juvenile diversion programme has the objective of a significant reduction in the incidence of recidivism.

Garda personnel assignments throughout the country, including JLO assignments, are continually monitored and reviewed. Such monitoring ensures that optimum use is made of Garda resources, and the best possible Garda service is provided to the general public.

In addition to the juvenile diversion programme, there are also 64 Garda youth diversion projects nationwide, with plans to increase this to 100 by the end of 2007. Garda youth diversion projects are a crime prevention initiative, which adopt a multi-agency partnership approach to tackling crime and anti-social behaviour at community level.

The projects aim to bring about the conditions whereby the behavioural patterns of young people towards law and order can develop and mature through positive interventions and interaction with the project. The projects are particularly targeted at ten to 18 year old "at risk" youths in communities where a specific need has been identified.