A Community Resolution is a way of dealing with something that has happened without going to court.

The Youth Justice Service might offer to work with you voluntarily. You do not have to. But, this will help you think about what happened, how other people may have been affected and what could help you in the future.

Your plan should be based on you and what support you need.

Outcome 22 is a way of helping you without taking your case any further through the criminal justice system.

You may be offered a programme with the Youth Justice Service. This could include talking about what happened and getting help with things that are important to you.

If you do not do this, you could go to court.

A Youth Caution is a formal outcome given by the police. The Youth Justice Service will usually talk with you about what happened and whether there is any support that could help.

A Youth Conditional Caution has rules attached to it. These are called conditions.

You will need to follow the conditions you have been given. The Youth Justice Service will explain what they are and help you understand what you need to do.

A Referral Order is a sentence given by a court.

You will work with the Youth Justice Service and take part in a meeting with trained volunteers, where a plan will be agreed with you.

The plan might include talking about what happened, making things better where possible, working towards your goals and getting help with things that are making life difficult.

Your Youth Justice worker will explain how long your Referral Order lasts and how often you will meet.

A Youth Rehabilitation Order, sometimes called a YRO, is a sentence given by a court.

The court will decide which rules or activities are part of your order. These are called requirements.

For example, you might need to meet with the Youth Justice Service, take part in activities or follow rules about where you can go.

Your worker should make sure you understand your order and work with you to help you complete it.

This is a Youth Rehabilitation Order with extra support and supervision.

You may have more appointments and activities each week than someone on a usual Youth Rehabilitation Order. You might have daily contact.

There may also be rules about where you need to be at certain times.

The Youth Justice Service will explain your plan, help you organise your week and work with you to complete your order.

A Detention and Training Order, or DTO, is a custodial sentence. This means you will spend some of your sentence living in a secure place away from home.

You will normally spend part of your sentence in custody and part of it back in the community.

While you are there, people should work with you on education, your health, your goals and anything else you need help with.

The Youth Justice Service will also work with you when you return to the community.

A Section 250 sentence can be given by the Crown Court for some very serious offences.

It is a custodial sentence, which means you will spend time living in a secure place away from home.

The judge will decide how long the sentence will be. Your Youth Justice worker and the people caring for you should explain what will happen and help you understand your sentence.

You should still have support with things like education, health, relationships and your plans for the future.

A life sentence is used for the most serious offences.

If you receive a life sentence, the judge will explain the sentence and the minimum amount of time you must spend in custody before you can be considered for release.

A life sentence does not always mean that you will spend your whole life in custody, but it can mean that rules and supervision continue for the rest of your life.

Your Youth Justice worker, solicitor and other adults supporting you should help you understand what the sentence means for you.