The government must admit its "shameful" failure to reduce the numbers of young people going into custody, an expert told Nacro's annual youth crime conference yesterday.
Enver Solomon, deputy director of the Centre for Crime and Justice studies at King's College, London, said progress was "going backwards". He cited figures showing that there had been 2,676 juveniles in custody in March 2005, when the Youth Justice Board set a target of a 10% reduction by March 2008. But according to the latest official figures, there were 2,828 juveniles in custody in January.
"This is a black mark against all the government has achieved and the investment they have put into the youth justice system," Solomon said.
Speaking at the Nacro conference at Warwick University, Solomon blamed the increasing "criminalisation' of children under New Labour for the rise of custody numbers.
He cited a Nacro study published this month that suggested police targets on offences brought to justice had led to children begin criminalised for "relatively minor transgressions".
Police targets driving custody numbers
"Offences brought to justice was a New Labour buzzword that resulted in police going around the country to meet targets by issuing sanctions including reprimands, cautions and penalty notices for disorder to 16 and 17-year-olds. These offences were previously dealt with informally," Solomon said.
He argued criminalising children was "counterproductive" and said police were caught between meeting these targets and working with youth offending teams to reduce the numbers of children entering the criminal justice system for the first time.
New community sentence
Solomon also questioned whether a new forthcoming generic community sentence for young offenders, the youth rehabilitation order, would be sufficiently resourced. The order will be introduced under the Criminal Justice and Immigration Bill.
Related articles
Youth board admits targets failure
Board bids to revise police indicators
Sixty second interview with Enver Solomon
Essential information on youth justice
More information
Draft Queen's Speech promises action on failing Yots
29 June 2009
Prison Reform Trust attacks hike in child remands
17 June 2009
Owers: male staff at New Hall jail hold 'outdated' attitudes
28 May 2009
Brothers accused of trying to kill boys face crown court trial
28 May 2009
Positive images of social work
01 July 2009
Laming review of child protection
12 May 2009
Bristol finds common assessment framework liberates social workers and spreads responsibilities
01 July 2009
Helping people with mental health problems who are in debt
29 June 2009
How ITV Fixers have enabled young people to go public with life stories
17 June 2009
Khyra Ishaq: Accused face retrial after jury discharged
One third of children may be living with binge-drinking parents
Social workers 'must use GSCC code to challenge workloads'
Safeguarding board chair says Doncaster Council is struggling to recruit social workers
Details of government consultations
12 June 2009
Government Legislation
02 December 2008
Private Member Bills
21 November 2008
