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Final Warning

The Final Warning was created by the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 as a way of dealing with offences committed by young people aged 10 to 17, provided that the offence is not so serious that it needs to go to court.

It was introduced in an effort to encourage young people to take responsibility for their criminal actions and to keep them from committing further offences and it replaced the old system of police cautions for young people. A young person arrested for a further offence within two years will virtually always go to court.

The Final Warning aims to prevent re-offending by ensuring that the young person is made aware of the consequences and impact of criminal activity and takes into account the wishes and feelings of victims of crime.

The Final warning is given on the understanding that the Youth Offending Team will work with the young offender and their parent/guardian to complete a short programme of intervention.