Figures released in Parliament last week show that between April 2008 and March this year, 671 young people under 18 were remanded in custody for seven days or less. During the same period, 173 were remanded for seven days or less in secure local authority care.
John Fassenfelt, head of the Magistrates' Association youth courts committee, said the number of cases going through youth courts has declined, which has lead to youth courts being cancelled to make more efficient use of court space.
As a result young people can appear before adult courts for an initial hearing and risk being remanded until the next youth court sits because the adult magistrates are not qualified to hear the case.
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