Research high child remand population
The Inquiry was told that children should only be placed in custody as a last resort. However, it was concerned to hear evidence that some children are remanded in custody because of a lack of appropriate community provision. Given that the proportion of children in custody on remand is so high, this is an issue of significant concern. The Chair and Panel recommend that the Youth Custody Service commissions research into why the child remand population is as high as it is. If the reason is a lack of appropriate community provision (nationally or in certain areas), or otherwise unrelated to a genuine need for those children to be remanded in custody, the Chair and Panel recommend that the Youth Custody Service, with appropriate partner agencies, puts an action plan in place to address this.
How was this assessed?
Response
Accepted
Response
AcceptedOn 26 January 2022, the Ministry of Justice published its Review of Custodial Remand for Children. The review's findings challenged the narrative that remand is overused and highlighted several factors that have impacted the increase in the proportion of children on remand over the past 10 years. It noted the ongoing issue with the number of short remand episodes that do not result in custodial sentences and the 'ethnic disproportionality of remand'. The review reiterated the UK government's commitment to legislate changes, through the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill, to tighten the legal tests courts must satisfy to impose custodial remand on a child. It also committed to strengthen operational delivery and frontline practices, and consider greater use of bail and local authority provision as an alternative to custody. On 28 April 2022, the Bill received Royal Assent and section 157 of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 reflects the above-mentioned change.