THE public are being invited to join a team whose task is to fight youth crime using new and innovative powers.

Darlington's Youth Offending Team is expanding to take on more responsibilities, including a new panel which examines the offender's motivation to commit crime.

The team, to be called the referral panel, will be introduced next year as part of a number of national changes to the service.

The Youth Offending Team (YOT) has its hands full after a successful first ten months.

Miriam Robertson, acting YOT manager, said: "Next year, lots of different new initiatives are coming on board."

The most exciting, was the referral panel, she said, which is a new tool becoming available to courts as a punishment.

Ms Robertson said: "Their role is to examine why the young person has offended.

"We will be looking to recruit members of the community and potential new staff to deliver those programmes."

The Youth Justice Board, the Government body responsible for YOTs, is putting up the initial funding for the team's expansion.

Adverts are expected to go into the regional press in September, when applications from a people from wide spectrum of backgrounds will be welcomed.

As part of the YOT's work Inspector Phill Robinson had the role of deciding what action would be taken against first-time offenders, judging on the circumstances of each case.

He retired last week as administration support unit inspector at Darlington police.

Insp Robinson said: "We've all made mistakes. If you've learned from it, then it's not a bad mistake. We want to keep them out of the court system."

Since the team was set up in April it has issued 49 reprimands and 124 final warnings, but sent only seven straight to court.

l Inspector says goodbye: Page 1