Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether his Department plans to implement the deferred prosecution model trialled by Operation Turning Point for adult and youth offenders.

The Ministry of Justice, partnering with two police forces, have co-ordinated two policing pilots under the title ‘Chance to Change’, one of which was Turning Point in the Metropolitan police boroughs of Barnet and Brent for adults and under 18s, and the other in the West Yorkshire police force area for under 18s.

Pilot areas have been asked to assess the effectiveness of their schemes. We are supporting the qualitative research study being undertaken by Manchester Metropolitan University, which aims to examine participant and practitioner experience of the pilots. These findings are expected to be published later this year.

The use and implementation of deferred prosecution schemes are an operational decision for individual police forces. We continue to work closely with the National Police Chiefs’ Council on the appropriate use of these schemes, supporting local forces who wish to take these up.