News

Most areas are continuing to meet the government’s target of 71 days for the time between arrest and sentence for persistent young offenders.

The average figure for April to June was 63 days, the twelfth quarter in a row to exceed the 71-day target. The average time for cases sentenced in magistrates’ courts was down by two days from the previous quarter to 56 days.

The Home Office figures show that 38 out of the 42 criminal justice areas are meeting or exceeding the target.

In 1996 it took an average of 142 days to deal with a persistent young offender from arrest to sentence.