Bail support is aimed at young offenders who are at risk of being remanded to custody or local authority accommodation.

It gives them an opportunity to stay in the local community, in a programme that has been designed specifically to help them deal with their offending behaviour and prevent them committing more crime.

Before a court appearance, the bail support officer will meet with the young person to have a discuss their behaviour and what could be included in their individual programme to help them stop offending.

As part of bail, the young person will have to:

• attend appointments with the bail support officer
• attend school (if school age)
• stay at a certain address.

The court may also give conditions to bail, which must be followed, such as a curfew, restrictions from entering certain areas or reporting to a police station

What happens during bail

During the bail support period the young person will have to comply and engage in tasks that have been agreed and attend appointments with the Bail Support Officer.

They will be given support to help them through the programme and deal with their individual needs, such as:

• constructive use of leisure time
• drugs and alcohol awareness
• education and careers
• health
• life and social skills
• peer group pressure.

Bail intensive supervision and surveillance

Where a child or young person is alleged to have committed an offence that is serious enough to warrant being remanded in custody, the court may consider giving a bail support package including intensive supervision and surveillance (ISS). Before proposing a bail package with ISS, Devon Youth Offending Service will complete an assessment to consider the suitability of this programme for the young person. An electronically monitored curfew is an integral part of any ISS package, as well as minimum daily contact, including weekends, from the Youth Offending Service.

All the provisions available on a bail supervision and support order will also be available on a bail intensive supervision and surveillance.

What is a remand to custody?

When a young person is remanded in custody it means that they will be detained in a young offenders institute until a later date when a trial or sentencing hearing will take place. The majority of young people on remand have not been convicted of a criminal offence and are awaiting trial following a not guilty plea or to be sentenced.

In serious cases where an individual has been charged with murder, attempted murder, manslaughter, rape or attempted rape, there is no presumption in favour of bail and the individual will automatically be remanded into custody.

Prisoners may be held in custody leading up to a trial or sentence for a variety of reasons. The prosecution can indicate one or more of the following as reasons a person should not be released on bail:

• The individual has previous convictions for similar offences
• There is reason to believe that the individual may fail to turn up at the trial
• There is reason to believe that the individual may interfere with witnesses
• There are reasonable grounds to believe an individual would commit further offences before their next court appearance
• The offence is seen as too serious and the risk of further harm is high

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