The Leeds Youth Justice Service work to reduce offending by young people, aged 10 to 17 years old and provide support to their victims.
What we do
Working with young offenders
We work with young people who break the law, helping them to stay away from crime and reoffending. Often they are put in touch with us by the police or the courts.
We help:
- assist at the police station, providing an Appropriate Adult to those who are aged 16 and under
- to support young people and their families at court
- to supervise young people who are bailed by the courts, during sentence and on release
- with arrangements for a young person who is placed in care by the courts
- young people serving a community sentence,
read about community sentences on GOV.UK
- young people sentenced to custody,
read about custody on GOV.UK
- offenders to understand the effects of their crime
- parents or carers to understand their responsibilities
Working with victims of crime
We work with victims of crimes to provide support and offer them the chance to take part in restorative justice. This is where a victim meets or communicates with their offender to explain the real impact of the crime.
If you have been a victim of a crime and would like our support, email
restorative.justice@leeds.gov.uk.
Find out more about restorative justice on the Restorative Justice Council website.
Our service values
Our service has 7 key values that we work to. They include being:
- Child-centred: young people who have offended have a right to have a voice and have choices. We make sure that all children and young people invoved with our service are happy and safe and we're committed to lowering the rate of young people offending through our caring staff.
- Safe: we work with others to protect victims and reduce future victims of crime. We do all we can to make our service an emotionally and physically safe place where young people can begin to heal and thrive.
- Relationship-based: we're able to build trusting relationships with young people, while challenging them on some of the decisions they make.
- Fair: many of the children and young people in the youth justice system are disadvantaged in the city, experiencing trauma and victimisation. We use restorative techniques with victims and encourage young people to repair the harm they have caused.
- Working together: working in partnership with families, communities and other services, we improve young people’s life prospects. This means sharing information to provide a seamless service to young people.
- Giving support at the right time: we believe that minor crimes should be dealt with outside the formal youth justice system and when a criminal justice response is required, children should be dealt with at the lowest possible tier. This will reduce the number of potential victims of crime and promote the safety of our local communities. We support young people and their families early to help prevent problems from growing out of control.
- Effective: we're committed to evidence-based and anti-discriminatory practices. Our early interventions with young people and their families build on strengths and celebrate successes.
Volunteer with us
If you're interested in the work we do and would like to take part,
find out how to volunteer with us.
Contact us
Phone
0113 378 2055
(Monday to Thursday, 9am to 5pm and Friday, 9am to 4:30pm)
07891 271 457
(Monday to Thursday, 5pm to 10pm, Friday, 4:30pm to 10pm and Saturday to Sunday, 9am to 10pm)
Email
In person
Youth Justice Centre, Church Street, LS10 2AY
Find us on Google Maps
You need to make an appointment before visiting the office.
