The Youth Justice Annual Statistics for 2023 to 2024 were published today. There were some positive changes in the past year and some that are concerning. The data revealed:
- the number of children entering the criminal justice system for the first time fell to its lowest level on record (8,300)
- stop and searches of children by the police decreased by 4% (103,100)
- the numbers of children in custody has fallen by 3% against the previous year and is the lowest number on record (430)
- However the number of children being sent to prison has increase by 21% to a four-year high (from 546 – 660).
Campbell Robb, Nacro Chief Executive said:
“Today’s Youth Justice statistics reveals that the number of children sent to prison has increased by 21% compared to the previous year, rising from 546 to 660, a four-year high.
This flies in the face of recommendations that children should only be held in custody as an absolute last resort. There are complex reasons why children are drawn into offending behaviour. At Nacro we see how issues like trauma, abuse, poverty, inequality, poor mental health, and a lack of hope for the future can lead young people into contact with the criminal justice system.
It is vital that young people at risk of becoming involved in crime are identified early and have meaningful opportunities which allow them the chance to forge a positive path forward with their lives.”
Learn more about our work
We operate in more than 40 prisons and provide services across England and Wales. We help 28,000 people across our services each year and run the CAS-2 service for the Government housing people coming out of prison on bail or licence. We work with people at every stage of the criminal justice system, from liaison and diversion services in police custody and courts, to resettlement into the community after prison. We use the insights from our services and the experiences of the people we support to campaign together for a criminal justice system which better serves us all. We’ve been working in this field for more than 50 years.
