04.12.12
A third fewer under-18s arrested in 2011
The number of children being arrested is continuing to fall, a charity has found.
The Howard League for Penal Reform has reported that the number of under-18s arrested is down a third since 2008. In 2011, 209,000 under-18s were arrested, compared to 315,923 in 2008.
Ten forces in England and Wales have halved the number of children taken into custody, the charity stated, following Freedom of Information requests to all 43 police forces.
The greatest fall took place in Dorset, with just over 1,000 children arrested – 70% fewer than in 2008.
Penal reform campaigners The Howard League suggested that a move away from a mandatory target system for police to arrest a certain number was the main reason behind the fall. Director of campaigns, Andrew Neilson, said: “In 2008, the first year we have data for, the target culture was coming to an end.
“At that time, police services were being ranked on the number of arrests they were processing, and to a degree children were low-hanging fruit that helped the police reach their arrest targets.
“While some police services still use these targets informally, we are seeing a move back towards a discretion-led, common sense approach, and that's reflected in the figures.
“I suspect there are a lot of things that the police are doing to reduce arrests, ranging from restorative justice disposals to triage arrangements at police stations, where a youth offending team worker will interview a young person to see if there are any welfare issues.”
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