Code of Practice for Youth Conditional Cautions

Book excerpt: A youth conditional caution allows an authorised person (usually a police officer) or a relevant prosecutor (usually a member of the CPS) to decide to give a caution with one or more conditions attached. When a young person, aged between 10 and 17 years old inclusive, is given a conditional caution for an offence, criminal proceedings for that offence are halted while the young person is given an opportunity to comply with the conditions. Where the conditions are complied with, the prosecution is not normally commenced. However, where there is no reasonable excuse for non-compliance, criminal proceedings may be commenced for the original offence and the conditional caution will cease to have effect. Youth conditional cautions provide an opportunity, in appropriate cases, to achieve an early, positive response for those young people who are willing to admit their offending. This Code of Practice governs the use of youth conditional cautions