Youth Rehabilitation Order

It is the standard community sentence used for the majority of children and young people who offend. It simplifies sentencing for young people, while improving the flexibility of interventions.  

The YRO came into effect on 30 November 2009 as part of the Criminal Justice and Immigration Act 2008. The YRO represents a more individualised risk and needs-based approach to community sentencing. It also enables greater choice from a 'menu' of requirements.

The following requirements can be attached to a YRO:

• Activity Requirement
• Curfew Requirement
• Exclusion Requirement 
• Local Authority Residence Requirement 
• Education Requirement 
• Mental Health Treatment Requirement 
• Unpaid Work Requirement (16/17 years) 
• Drug Testing Requirement
• Intoxicating Substance Treatment Requirement  
• Supervision Requirement 
• Electronic Monitoring Requirement 
• Prohibited Activity Requirement 
• Drug Treatment Requirement 
• Residence Requirement 
• Programme Requirement 
• Attendance Centre Requirement 
• Intensive Supervision and Surveillance (based on the current ISSP) 
• Intensive Fostering

The YRO is a robust community sentence providing a 'menu' of interventions for tackling offending behaviour. The sentence can be used again on multiple occasions, minimising the use of custody. There are no restrictions on the number of times an offender can be sentenced to a YRO.

Courts would be expected to use the YRO on multiple occasions, adapting the menu as appropriate to deal with the offending behaviour.