Although widely welcomed by campaigners, news that the number of under-18s in custody has dropped below 1,000 for the first time poses a number of questions for the future of youth custody.
With the population falling by two-thirds in the space of just six years (see graph), several large young offender institutions have been "decommissioned", meaning there are now just six of them now compared to 13 in 2009. This has increased the catchment area for each institution, an occurrence that has been blamed for reported increases in gangs and violence due to troubled young people from different areas mixing in a volatile environment.
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
