A LECTURER from Bewsey has helped unveil a new plan to give young offenders a voice in their punishment.

Sean Creaney, who works at Edge Hill University, advised the Youth Justice Board on their new participation strategy launched at an annual convention on November 30.

The strategy aims to ensure that children in the youth justice system have the opportunity to help decide about their care and supervision once the courts have passed their judgement.

Sean, whose current PhD research is exploring how young offenders participate in what happens during their supervision or referral order, described it as an honour to be involved.

He added: "If young people are given a voice and provided with the opportunity to influence how a service is designed and implemented, it is more probable that the child will be rehabilitated as they know what works for them."

Sean, who is a parent governor at St Alban’s primary school, believes that by listening to children and letting them decide some elements of their sentence the youth justice system will benefit from lower levels of violence and see increased motivation and respect amongst young people.

He added: “There are challenges making greater choice over provision for young offenders a reality.

"Amongst some people there is a mentality that people who commit crime have forfeited their right to a voice.

"I welcome the Youth Justice Board’s strategy and specifically the ideas around more meaningful interventions.