City council publishes new justice plan.
Milton Keynes City Council has published its new Youth Justice Plan which sets out priorities and local support, alongside the work of Thames Valley Police, to keep children and young people safe and minimise youth offending.
Youth crime continues to decline across Milton Keynes, according to latest figures, with a 12.3% reduction in violent offences committed by young people since 2021.
The city also has significantly fewer first-time offenders (129 per 100,000 residents) compared to the average rate in the rest of England (153 per 100,000).
Taking a preventative approach, the City Council’s Youth Justice and Support Service work with schools to fast-track specialist help for young people at the highest risk of suspension alongside their support for young people who are themselves victims of crime.
The team also work directly with young people to reduce the chance of reoffending. The ACT-NOW project was launched by the City Council in partnership with The Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner (OPCC) and Thames Valley Police in 2023.
Local young people arrested for offences including knives, weapons or serious violence, receive a visit from a dedicated youth justice officer within their first 90 minutes in police custody, and a home visit is offered within 48 hours.
This immediate reaction enables youth justice workers to swiftly develop effective intervention plans alongside families. Of the 322 individuals referred via this process, only seven young people have gone on to commit a further knife related offence.
Whilst the overall picture is positive, the City Council recognises that some parts of the city have higher incidences of youth offending, and local agencies will continue to focus additional efforts in these areas.
"ACT-NOW and Operation Deter has been a huge success across Thames Valley, including in Milton Keynes,” said Chief Inspector Jade Hewitt at Thames Valley Police.
“It is so pleasing to see the results of ACT-NOW, diverting young people away from a culture of knife carrying, which can cause so much harm, both to them and to the wider community.”
“The local data is encouraging and shows what can be achieved when partners work together,” said Councillor Joe Hearnshaw, Cabinet Member for Children and Young People.
“However, serious violence remains a priority for the Milton Keynes Safeguarding Partnership and we know we need to focus on areas that experience higher incidences of offending.
“This plan commits us to keeping young people safe and ensuring every young person has the support they need to move away from offending and into education, training or work."
