Professor Rod Morgan, Chairman of the Youth Justice Board for England and Wales, announced his resignation today.
Professor Morgan joined the YJB in April 2004, on a three year contract, due to expire on 4 April 2007. He has decided not to apply for a second term in office - his post will be advertised in open competition by the Home Office shortly.
Paying tribute to the work of Professor Morgan, YJB Chief Executive, Ellie Roy said:
“Rod has been a tireless champion of youth justice and young people in his time at the YJB. He has been an inspiration, not only to staff of the YJB, but to all those working to reduce re-offending by children and young people and to protect the public.”
Baroness Scotland, Home Office Minister, said:
“I would like to thank Rod warmly for the vision, strong commitment and enthusiasm he has brought to his role as chair of the Youth Justice Board.
“He has been in post during a critical three year period during which he has been a passionate advocate for children and an excellent representative of youth justice practitioners and stakeholders. Under his chairmanship the Youth Justice Board has developed innovative prevention programmes to divert children and young people from crime, reflecting Rod’s commitment to keeping children out of the criminal justice system whenever possible. He goes with our best wishes for his future.”
Notes to Editors
Rod Morgan
Rod Morgan joined the Youth Justice Board in April 2004. He was a former HM Chief Inspector of Probation for England and Wales, a post he took up in August 2001. Before that he was Professor of Criminal Justice, at Bristol University, where he remains Professor Emeritus.
He is the co-editor of the principal text in the field of criminology in the UK, The Oxford Handbook of Criminology (4th Ed, 2007, Oxford: OUP), and is currently preparing a similar text on probation policy, research and practice.
Youth Justice Board:
1. The Youth Justice Board for England and Wales (YJB) oversees the youth justice system in England and Wales. We work to prevent offending and reoffending by children and young people under the age of 18, and to ensure that custody for them is safe, secure, and addresses the causes of their offending behaviour.
2. Specifically, we advise the Home Secretary on the operation of, and standards for, the youth justice system; monitor the performance of the youth justice system; purchase places for, and place, children and young people remanded or sentenced to custody; identify and promote effective practice; make grants to local authorities or other bodies to support the development of effective practice; commission research and publish information.