Youth rehabilitation order (under 18)

Who is it issued by and how can I contact them?

The YRO is the young person’s equivalent of a community sentence, issued by the courts. You can contact the relevant court directly but it might be better to talk to your Youth Offending Team.

Does it involve guilt?

Yes – the sentence is decided after a guilty verdict.

Is it recorded on the Police National Computer (PNC)?

Yes.

Is it classed as a conviction?

Yes.

How long will it be on my record?

It will remain on the PNC indefinitely and will be referred to in any future criminal proceedings. There are no restrictions on the number of times you can be sentenced to a YRO. In some cases custody is an option for breach of YRO, if the original offence is imprisonable or there is ‘wilful non-compliance’ during the order (see Ministry of Justice information).

When does it become spent?

At the end of the order.

When do I have to declare it?

YROs fall under the protection of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act so after it is spent you don’t have to disclose unless it is for an occupation which is an exception to the Act, like working with children.

Is it disclosed on DBS checks?

Yes, it is disclosed on both standard and enhanced checks, unless it is eligible for filtering. Once spent, it will not be disclosed on a basic check.

Do I have the right to appeal and what is the process?

GOV.UK information on appealing a court decision can be found here.

What are the implications for life in the community?

The sentence can last up to three years. You might have to be at home by a certain time each day (a ‘curfew’), stay away from specific places (‘exclusion’), be tested for drugs regularly or get treatment for a drug addiction.

Further information

• Ministry of Justice
• GOV.UK