New Protected Admissions Scheme for first time young offenders The New South Wales Police Force has announced a program to allow more first time young offenders to receive an appropriate formal caution. The Protected Admissions Scheme is the culmination of negotiations between the Police Force, the Aboriginal Legal Service, Legal Aid NSW and the Department of Police and Justice. It is designed to allow young, first time offenders to make admissions to police about minor offences without the confessions being used as evidence against them in court. “Prior to this scheme, it was a bit of a ‘catch 22’ situation,” Police Commissioner, Andrew Scipione, said. “In order to issue a caution to the young, first time offender, police needed an admission of guilt,” Mr Scipione explained, “But many young offenders weren’t willing to confess unless they were promised a caution.” “This meant that in many cases, police had no choice but to charge the juveniles and the matters ended up in court,” he said. The scheme allows officers to provide the first time offenders with the opportunity to make admissions, free from use in criminal proceedings. “In other words,” the Commissioner said, “Anything a young person says to police under the Protected Admissions Scheme cannot be used in evidence against them and allows officers to issue them with a caution. “If this means a young person who has made a one-off mistake can be shown the errors of their ways and escape a conviction for the rest of their lives, then it is a positive step. “It also allows police and the courts to focus on dealing with more significant cases.”
Posted on: Mon, 02 Jun 2014 20:45:00 +0000
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