Figures from the Mayor's office show that 59 per cent of under-18s in London are White, and 15 per cent are Black. But 43 per cent of custodial decisions involve Black young people, compared with 40 per cent involving White young people.
Lee Jasper, director of equalities and policing at the Greater London Authority, told the Home Affairs Select Committee: "The biggest mistake this government and previous governments have made is failing to ensure statutory provision for youth services remained statutory."
He added: "We have been dealing with issues of antisocial behaviour, and serious criminality by young people, on an unprecedented scale ever since all those youth clubs have disappeared."
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