THE success of criminal justice schemes has been shown to a Home Office minister for the Criminal Justice System and Law Reform.

Baroness Scotland visited Darlington this week to meet victims of youth crime and young offenders.

Some of the crime initiatives outlined to her included the scheme to target persistent offenders and plans to open two witness care units in the New Year to support victims and prosecution witnesses through court.

She talked about the sexual assault referral centres, which will involve police and primary care trusts and County Durham and Darlington's performance in the amount of time taken to get young offenders through the criminal justice process.