Think tank The Policy Exchange is calling for the Youth Justice Board (YJB) to be scrapped.
It is claiming that the YJB is "ineffective and expensive", and scrapping it would save taxpayers more than £100m over the next four years.
The think tank wants to see its responsibilities handed over to the Ministry of Justice and local councils.
Max Chambers, a research fellow in The Policy Exchange’s crime and justice unit, says that if councils were given greater responsibility over youth custody arrangements it "would provide them with a real incentive to find effective ways of stopping kids committing crimes".
The Policy Exchange concedes that there has been a reduction in the number of convictions of young men in recent years, however, it says this is more to do with a greater use of cautions rather than a genuine reduction in crime.
The YJB has dismissed the report, saying that much of the research relates to crime among 10- to 25-year-olds, whereas its remit only goes up to 18.
Frances Done, chair of the YJB, added: "The Youth Justice Board provides leadership in cohesion and innovation in achieving the best outcomes for some of the most challenging and volatile children and young people in our society.
"It has demonstrated that working in partnership with different local agencies gives under-18s in trouble with the law the best opportunities to stop re-offending and provides the best chances of rehabilitation, leading to more productive lives."
The think tank wants to see its responsibilities handed over to the Ministry of Justice and local councils.
Max Chambers, a research fellow in The Policy Exchange’s crime and justice unit, says that if councils were given greater responsibility over youth custody arrangements it "would provide them with a real incentive to find effective ways of stopping kids committing crimes".
The Policy Exchange concedes that there has been a reduction in the number of convictions of young men in recent years, however, it says this is more to do with a greater use of cautions rather than a genuine reduction in crime.
The YJB has dismissed the report, saying that much of the research relates to crime among 10- to 25-year-olds, whereas its remit only goes up to 18.
Frances Done, chair of the YJB, added: "The Youth Justice Board provides leadership in cohesion and innovation in achieving the best outcomes for some of the most challenging and volatile children and young people in our society.
"It has demonstrated that working in partnership with different local agencies gives under-18s in trouble with the law the best opportunities to stop re-offending and provides the best chances of rehabilitation, leading to more productive lives."
