Legal change required 'to cement youth custody progress'

13 July 2011 1 min read Neil Puffett Youth Justice Courts and sentencing Youth custody Youth Offending Teams Legal

Legislative changes must be made to ensure recent falls in youth custody levels are maintained, a report by the Prison Reform Trust has found.

The number of under-18s imprisoned in England and Wales has fallen from about 3,000 in the first half of 2008 to the current level of around 2,000.

Last Resort? Exploring the Reduction in Child Imprisonment 2008-11 states that while there has been a "concerted effort" to keep children out of the justice system, lasting change is needed to maintain momentum.

"Introducing more rigorous statutory criteria for custody or raising the age at which children can be imprisoned or even prosecuted would cement the achievements in place in line with the UK’s obligations under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child," the report, written by former Youth Justice Board member Rob Allen, states.

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