Detention Training Order
The Detention Training Order (DTO) sentences a young person to custody. It can be given to 12 – 17 year olds. The length of the sentence can be between four months and two years. The first half of the sentence is spent in custody whilst the second half is spent in the community under the supervision of the Youth Offending Service (YOS). The licence can require the young person to be on an Intensive Supervision and Surveillance Programme (ISSP) as a condition of the community period of the sentence.
A DTO is only given by the courts to young people who offend seriously and represent a high level of risk, or are persistent offenders and where no other sentence would manage their risks effectively. The seriousness of the offence is always taken into account when a young person is sentenced to a DTO.
A training plan must be agreed within 10 days of sentencing, and reviewed within 1 month of the plan being agreed. Subsequent reviews of the training plan will take place every 3 months.
A person sentenced to 8 months DTO or more will be eligible for early release on a curfew of 12 hours per day. For those sentenced to 18 or 24 months the amount of early release is dependant on satisfying progress, behaviour and conduct whilst in custody. Certain categories of offences may also prevent early release.
In certain circumstances the Governor of the Custodial Facility can apply to the court for a late release i.e. for committing an offence whilst in custody.
