Youth justice target met

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.