When it comes to current policy priorities at the Youth Justice Board (YJB), devolving the cost of custody is right at the top of the pile.
The government's Youth Crime Action Plan last year outlined plans to devolve the cost of court-ordered secure remands to local authorities in a bid to lower the number of children in custody. Since then, the YJB has picked up the idea and run with it.
In recent months, YJB chair Frances Done has been saying it could pay dividends to go further and make local authorities responsible for the full cost of youth custody. She says the current system contains "perverse incentives" and argues that if budgets were devolved it would push young offenders up the agenda of children's services across the country, which could be the catalyst for a reduction in custody numbers.
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