YJB chair targets over-representation of minority groups in youth justice system
Derren Hayes
Friday, July 31, 2020
The new chair of the Youth Justice Board (YJB) has said tackling over representation of minority groups in the youth justice system and creating a service that puts the needs of children first are his priorities for the role.
Writing in a blog to mark his first 100 days in post, Keith Fraser said the youth justice system needs to address the disparities in outcomes and experiences for children from black, Asian and minority ethnic communities as well as those from other minority groups such as looked-after young people and those from the Traveller community.
“There is, quite rightly, an increasing focus on fairness and equality more generally within society, particularly in minority and black communities, which has helped to further highlight the stark inequalities experienced by children in the youth justice system,” he says. “It’s a complex issue, and change must also be sought beyond the justice system, but we must not hide behind this complexity.
“I have made addressing over-representation a top priority for the YJB and I will not shy away from challenging other government departments to do the same.”
His comments echo those made in a recent interview with CYP Now, where Fraser said the youth justice system needs to recognise the issues behind the Black Lives Matter movement.
Fraser also highlighted the need for the youth justice system to invest in evidence-based practice in its work to create safer communities and fewer victims. This means adopting a ‘child first’ approach that upholds children’s rights, supports them to reach their potential, is committed to inclusion and participation, and keeps children safe.
“This does not equate to being ‘soft on crime’,” he said. “It means that we do what we know works to help children escape the dead-end cycle of reoffending and positively contribute to society instead.
“Youth custody, although improving, is far from the nurturing environment it needs to be and, in the community too, we often struggle to meet the multiple needs of children in the system.”
Last month, the Standing Committee for Youth Justice published proposals that it says would tackle disproportionality by ensuring that custody is only ever used as a genuine last resort for children.
