Changes to the way police deal with low-level youth crime could see more Westcountry youngsters forced to face up to their victims rather than go to court.
New laws which came into force this month will scrap the "escalator" scheme under which offenders moved from reprimand to final warning then court.
Lesser punishments can now be dished out even after a court conviction, if thought more appropriate.
Officers will have far more flexibility in how they deal with young people and can now resort to whatever punishment they deem appropriate for non-serious offences – whether that be restorative disposal, caution, conditional caution or charge.
Devon and Cornwall Police have opted to consult with social workers and probation officers via youth offending teams (YOT) when an offender requires a second punishment.
The force insists it is not being "soft" on crime, nor is it "massaging the figures" as crime will continue to be recorded as before.
Inspector Brent Davison, force youth issues manager, said the old system was seen by some people to be "confusing and perhaps not fair".
"The new system is more flexible, but with that flexibility comes a responsibility to get it right," he added.
"That's why we will be consulting with the YOT to ensure consistent decisions are made in line with national guidance.
"It's far more demanding and challenging for a young person to face up to offending behaviour and their victims rather than go to court, which is an alien environment they don't understand.
"It is not being soft on crime or young people – surely the priority is to reduce re-offending and getting the right outcome – early intervention is far more effective than court."
The new legislation (under the Legal Aid and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012) came into force on April 8.
All of the disposals for young offenders are available at any stage of offending with appropriate consultation with the YOT.
The system is not escalatory so a young offender who has previously been to court will not necessarily go back to court for another offence.
There is a new requirement for consultation between the police and the YOT from the second or subsequent disposal which will ensure young offenders are dealt with robustly, fairly and consistently.
Inspector Davison said the views of victims would be given greater prominence with more examples of restorative justice.
Torbay Council's head of family services, Nigel Denning, said: "The new system will allow young people to be dealt with in a more adaptable way.
"It will enable good decision making to be made between the police and youth offending teams so young people's offending has a co-ordinated, appropriate response that addresses the needs of both the offender and victim.
"This new process will allow more young people and their victims to be dealt with in a restorative manner whilst allowing the court process to deal with more serious matters."
