Commentary on Sections Part 12 - Sentencing Chapter 8: Other Provisions about sentencing Section 279: Drug treatment and testing requirement in action plan order or supervision order
622.This section introduces Schedule 24, which enables a requirement as to drug treatment and testing to be included in an action plan order or a supervision order.
623.The action plan order is a community sentence, which is available where a child or young person aged between 10 and 17 years old is convicted of any offence for which the sentence is not fixed by law. The order lasts for a period of three months and provides a short but intensive and individually tailored programme of intervention designed to address the young person's offending behaviour and associated risk factors. The court may attach a range of requirements such as offending behaviour work, education and reparation.
624.The supervision order is a community sentence available for a child or young person aged between 10 and 17 years old. The duration of the order may range from a minimum of six months to a maximum of three years. A range of requirements may be attached to the supervision order such as residence, reparation, night restrictions and activities specified by a youth offending team.