While the total number of under-18s in custody in England and Wales has fallen dramatically since 2010, the proportion of black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) young people who are detained is rising - recently topping 50 per cent for the first time.
In May, there were 415 BAME young people in young offenders institutions and secure training centres, and 396 white young people, according to Ministry of Justice (MoJ) figures (see graphic). This rate is disproportionately higher than the population as a whole - 20 per cent of under-18s are non-white.
In its strategic plan 2019-22, the Youth Justice Board (YJB) describes disproportionality as a "critical concern" among its priorities, and the document admits that "children may not be receiving equal treatment due to their ethnicity".
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