Influential think-tank Policy Exchange has called for the Youth Justice Board to be axed, branding the quango "ineffective and expensive", "wasteful" and "overly bureaucratic".
The criticisms came in its report, published yesterday, which revealed a severe lack of confidence in youth justice policy.
Policy Exchange slammed the YJB, saying its functions could be given back to the Ministry of Justice - a move it said would save the department almost £100 million over four years.
Max Chambers, a research fellow in the think-tank's crime and justice unit, said: "The new Government needs to get a grip on youth offending and get the money to the front line.
"Given this, and the scale of the savings required, this means that the YJB should be scrapped. Although full of well-meaning officials, it is wasteful, overly bureaucratic and its central co-ordinating functions could easily be given back to the Ministry of Justice."
Chambers also recommended devolving youth custody budgets to local authorities.
The much-speculated-about future of the YJB should become clear in the autumn, with the publication of the government's green paper and the comprehensive spending review...
Frances Done, chair of the YJB, said: "There have been significant achievements in the youth justice system. Over the past couple of years, 20,448 fewer children and young people entered the youth justice system, there have been over 5,000 fewer re-offences committed by under-18s, from 2005 to 2008, and in the last few years over a thousand fewer young people have entered custody.
"These Government figures show a youth justice system which is delivering results. The YJB provides leadership in cohesion and innovation in achieving the best outcomes for some of the most challenging and volatile children and young people in our society.
"The YJB has demonstrated that working in partnership with different local agencies gives under 18s, in trouble with the law, the best opportunities to stop re-offending and provides the best chances of rehabilitation, leading to more productive lives."
Photo credit: Rex Features
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