PERSISTENT adult offenders are to face a similar speedy justice system to that faced by young repeat criminals in a new North Yorkshire and York initiative.

This week the police, probation, court representatives, prosecutors, youth offender officers and prison staff have set up the county's Local Criminal Justice Board.

Its aim is to ensure that all criminal justice organisations in North Yorkshire and York work more closely together.

Top of the board's agenda are plans to ensure that persistent adult offenders are brought to justice quickly. The county and York together regularly have one of the fastest rates of bringing youth criminals to book in the country.

Robert Turnbull, the county's chief crown prosecutor and a member of the board, said: "We are building on established, excellent relationships between the agencies involved. We know that in working together we can be more effective in producing results."

He was confident that the county could build on its success in halving the time taken to deal with persistent young offenders to 71 days. The board will aim to cut court delays and improve service and court experiences for crime victims and witnesses.

From yesterday the police national computer will flag persistent adults offenders and their cases will be tracked by police and the Crown Prosecution Service under a web-based system called J-track. The county also has its own scheme targeting persistent burglars under which police get early alerts of them breaking the law and probation officers give them intensive help in leading law-abiding lives.

Updated: 11:18 Wednesday, April 02, 2003