Action Plan Orders

What is an action plan order?

An action plan order is a community sentence (i.e. a non-custodial sentence). It can be imposed upon a young offender, between the ages of 10 and 17, by a youth court (a court for people aged 10 – 17). It lasts for three months from the date of the order being made.

What are the aims of an action plan order?

An action plan order aims to:

• Prevent re-offending, by addressing the causes of criminal behaviour
• Offer work and support for the young person, to help prevent further offending Encourage the young person to take responsibility for their actions, and to consider the feelings of the victims of crime
• Consider the need for 'reparation' (putting things right) to either the local community or any victim involved in a particular offence.

Requirements of an action plan order

The action plan is devised by the Youth Offending Team and agreed by the youth court. The plan requires the completion of a number of specific tasks. These tasks may include:

• Participation in specified activities
• Attendance at offence focused work groups (collective sessions with workers in the Hackney Youth Offending Team)
• Attendance at an attendance centre (a centre run by the Hackney Youth Offending Team, where people are required to take part in various activities, such as physical exercise, arts and crafts, and group work exercises)
• Staying away from specified places
• Monitored school attendance
• Reparation, either to the victim of the offence or to the community as a whole
• Attendance at a review hearing at the youth court.

The youth court may also choose to impose a parenting order on the parents of a young person who is subject to an action plan order.

A responsible officer will be appointed from the Hackney Youth Offending Team to supervise / co-ordinate the programme of work.

What happens if the young person fails to co-operate with the action plan order?

If, in the opinion of the Youth Offending Team, the young person fails to co-operate with the action plan order, the Youth Offending Team will initiate breach proceedings.

The Youth Offending Team will give the person, at most, two written warnings within the period of the order. Following two written warnings, we will instigate breach action.

Breach proceedings will involve the young person being returned to court. The court may discharge the order and re-sentence for the original offence.

Breach proceedings can be taken at any stage of the order (regardless of the length of time it has to run) and without prior warning if the failure to comply is serious, such as an attempt to avoid its completion or serious misconduct.

What do the parents/guardians of a young person who is subject to an action plan order have to do?

Parents/guardians should:

• Attend court with the young person
• Encourage the young person to appreciate fully the consequences of their offending behaviour
• Ensure that the young person successfully completes the activities assigned to him/her
• Co-operate with any parenting order that may be imposed.

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Page updated: 28 Feb 2008