Addressing racial disparity in the youth justice system
Today (24 October 2024), Revolving Doors has published a report commissioned by the Youth Justice Board showcasing examples of promising community-based practice in addressing racial disparity in the youth justice system.
Black children and those with Mixed ethnicity continue to be over-represented at all different stages of the youth justice system.
In the year ending March 2023, Black children were involved in 20% of stop and searches (where ethnicity was known) – 14% higher than the proportion of Black 10 to 17-year-olds in the 2021 population and the only ethnic group to be over-represented compared with the population. In addition, between the years ending March 2010 to 2020, Black children in England and Wales were nearly five times more likely to be arrested than White children and account for 26% of the youth custody population compared with 6% of all 10 to 17-year-olds.
This report aims to demonstrate that a range of interventions can be introduced, and that these examples should be adopted and adapted in other areas.
If the issue of over-representation, which sits within a context of structural racism, is to be properly addressed, these interventions need to be accompanied by changes in policy, practice and culture across multiple sectors and parts of society. Nevertheless, we hope that the report encourages critical examination of existing provision and how this is monitored and evaluated. We also hope to inspire thinking and practice amongst local partners in areas where there are racial disparities in the youth justice system, but where these types of programmes do not exist.
The report includes examples of provision that can be put into three broad categories.
The first is practice that works directly with children and their families. This includes mentoring interventions that help to build positive relationships and empower children to build on their strengths, and interventions that have been evidenced to reduce reoffending, such as a diversion scheme and family therapy model.
Thereafter there are examples of programmes that have provided a platform for children to influence change. These give them an opportunity to tell their side of the story and influence decision-making in an environment where they are treated with respect by those in positions of authority. Meaningfully collaborating with children is a principle of the Child First framework. This way of working is considered important in improving engagement and compliance because children are given the opportunity to understand how processes work and why and can contribute to their development.
Lastly, we have included interventions that aim to influence police practices or target judges and lawyers. These examples aim to improve understanding of the issue of racial disparities amongst decision-makers and those interacting with children in contact with the youth justice system (for example by using local data). They have also attempted to improve relationships between children and those in the youth justice system who play a key role in children’s perceptions of the youth justice system and the outcomes they receive. This is important given data consistently shows low levels of trust in youth justice processes amongst Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic children.
We are grateful for everyone who shared examples of work that we could include in this resource and who discussed these with us, and that the Youth Justice Board commissioned this project.
