Speaking at an inquiry into the over-representation of Black young people in the system, Camila Batmanghelidjh, director of Kids Company, said: "The youth crime issue is all about adult incompetence, primarily in social care agencies: they are the ones that are supposed to be intervening in vulnerable children's lives. In poor areas, there is an unspoken policy to withhold support until a young person commits a crime so they become a priority for youth justice. This is especially the case in mental health cases."
The inquiry heard Black young people were over-represented in the system because of a range of issues including social exclusion, lack of engagement with parents and the negative influences of rap.
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