Children and young people in custody

Justice Committee Closed Inquiry
Opened: 2 Jun 2020 Closed: 29 Apr 2021 Parliament page
Read an interactive summary of the key points of our first report on entry into the youth justice system. Read an interactive summary of the key points of our second report on the youth secure estate and resettlement.
38 Recommendations
7 Conclusions
2 Reports
13 Letters
4 Events
Activity timeline 17 events
8 Sep
2021
Correspondence
28 Apr
2021
Correspondence
19 Apr
2021
Report published
10 Feb
2021
Report published
10 Feb
2021
Report published
12 Nov
2020
Report published
9 Sep
2020
Correspondence
23 Jul
2020
Correspondence
21 Jul
2020
Correspondence
21 Jul
2020
Correspondence
21 Jul
2020
Correspondence
21 Jul
2020
Correspondence
Recommendations & Conclusions
4 results
Clear
13 Recommendation Accepted in Part
12th Report: Children and Young Pe…
BAME children are disproportionately remanded to custody and some of the children remanded to custody,...
BAME children are disproportionately remanded to custody and some of the children remanded to custody, will not then go on to receive a custodial sentence. The Youth Justice Board should update the Committee on the findings of their commissioned research. … Read more
Government Response
The government accepts disproportionality is a concern and commits to sharing the YJB's commissioned research findings on ethnic disproportionality in remand and sentencing, which aims to provide the requested explanation and data, once published. It notes judicial training on unconscious bias is under review and will continue to assess effective approaches to prevent bias in decision-making.
Ministry of Justice
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18 Recommendation Accepted in Part
12th Report: Children and Young Pe…
Delays have a fundamental impact on all those involved in proceedings.
Delays have a fundamental impact on all those involved in proceedings. The Ministry of Justice and HMCTS should set out what is being done to specifically address delays in the youth justice system and manage any existing backlogs. The Ministry … Read more
Government Response
The government provides data on youth outstanding cases up to June 2020 and details the work of the Youth Justice Working Group, established to reduce COVID-19 delays and backlogs. It reports that recovery plans have enabled youth courts to conclude more cases than received since July 2020.
Ministry of Justice
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11 Recommendation Accepted in Part
16th Report - Children and young p…
We welcome the Ministry of Justice’s commitment to implement in full the remainder of David...
We welcome the Ministry of Justice’s commitment to implement in full the remainder of David Lammy’s recommendations within the next 12 months. The Ministry should set out what resource has been allocated to this piece of work. We recommend that … Read more
Government Response
The government highlights its commitment to the Lammy Review, detailing updates and launching the Race Action Programme with a 20-strong team and £100,000 in funding for BAME-led organizations, but does not provide the requested full and detailed timetable for implementation or a comprehensive outline of resources for broader disproportionality reduction.
Ministry of Justice
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12 Recommendation Accepted in Part
16th Report - Children and young p…
We welcome development of the secure school model and agree with the Minister for Justice,...
We welcome development of the secure school model and agree with the Minister for Justice, Lucy Frazer QC MP, that this offers an opportunity to reform the existing estate to better meet the needs of the children it holds. It … Read more
Government Response
The government explains delays are due to complex legal and regulatory issues for this innovative model, and outlines ongoing work like appointing a constructor and commencing renovation by the end of the year, but only states they "continue to work towards" the late 2022 opening rather than guaranteeing it.
Ministry of Justice
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Government Response AI assessment · 45 of 38 classified
Accepted 21
Accepted in Part 4
Acknowledged 9
Deferred 6
Rejected 5
Total 38 recs + 7 conclusions
Correspondence 13 letters
8 Sep 2021 To committee Letter from Alex Chalk MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice, dated 31 August 2021, regarding update on Report on Children and Young people in custody
Parliament page
28 Apr 2021 To committee Letter from Alex Chalk MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Justice, dated 26 April 2021, regarding Children and Young People in Custody (part 2)
Parliament page
9 Sep 2020 Written evidence from Magistrates Association
Parliament page
23 Jul 2020 Written evidence from The Association of Youth Offending Team Managers
Parliament page
21 Jul 2020 Written evidence from JUSTICE
Parliament page
21 Jul 2020 Written evidence from Youth Justice Board
Parliament page
21 Jul 2020 Written evidence from UK National Preventive Mechanism
Parliament page
21 Jul 2020 Written evidence from Royal College of Psychiatrists
Parliament page
21 Jul 2020 Written evidence from EQUAL
Parliament page
15 Jul 2020 Written evidence from the Children's Commissioner
Parliament page
8 Jul 2020 Written evidence from Royal College of Psychiatrists
Parliament page
24 Jun 2020 To committee Letter from Lucy Frazer QC MP, Minister of State for Justice, dated 17 June 2020 on Secure Schools Programme
Parliament page
23 Jun 2020 To committee Letter from Lucy Frazer QC MP, Minister of State for Justice, dated 17 June 2020, on Youth Custody Reports
Parliament page