Figures collated by the Youth Justice Board (YJB) show that, as of the end of May, there were 927 under-18s in custody - a rise of 18 on the previous month's figure of 909.
It is the second successive month that the figure has risen - bringing the total to the highest level since December 2015, when there were also 927 under-18s in custody.
Jacob Tas, chief executive of social justice charity Nacro, which is developing plans to improve the way young offenders are supported on leaving custody alongside the YJB and Ministry of Justice, said: "It is very disappointing that figures from the YJB show that youth custody levels are showing a continuous rise for the first time in almost a decade, with over six per cent more children and young people aged up to 18 within the secure estate, in comparison to 2016."
Register Now to Continue Reading
Thank you for visiting Children & Young People Now and making use of our archive of more than 60,000 expert features, topics hubs, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:
What's Included
-
Free access to 4 subscriber-only articles per month
-
Email newsletter providing advice and guidance across the sector
Already have an account? Sign in here
