child arrests in england and wales 2016 - the howard league...2010 and a 14 per cent reduction...
TRANSCRIPT
• In2010theHowardLeagueforPenal ReformlaunchedtheProgrammeto ReduceChildArrests
• In2016therewere87,525childarrests inEnglandandWales,downfrom 245,763in2010
• Therewere703arrestsofprimary-age childrenin2016.Arrestsof10-and 11-year-oldshavefallenatafaster ratethanthatforolderchildren
• Therewere14,487arrestsofgirlsin 2016.Arrestsofgirlshavefallenata fasterratethanforboys
• EveryforceinEnglandandWaleshas reducedthenumberofchildarrests between2010and2016,with12forces achievingreductionsofmorethan75 percent
• Thenumberofchildarrestshasreduced by64percentbetween2010and2016
• Thenumberofchildreninprisonfell by58percentbetween2010and2016
• Thisanalysisisbasedonfreedomof informationdatafrom43policeservice areasinEnglandandWalesandthe BritishTransportPolice.
Key points
Child arrests in England and Wales 2016Research briefing
Picture: Elly Godfroy/Alamy
Introduction In2010theHowardLeaguelaunchedaprogrammetoreducethenumberofchildarrestsinEnglandandWales.Thecharityworkscloselywithpoliceforcesaroundthecountrytostemtheflowofchildrenenteringthecriminaljusticesystem.Thisprogrammehasprovedsuccessful.Thecharitypublishesannualdataonchildarrests,whichshowayear-on-yearreduction.In2016therewere87,525childarrestsinEnglandandWales.Thenumberofchildarrestshasreducedby64percentbetween2010and2016.
Asgatekeeperstothesystem,everypoliceforceacrossthecountryhassuccessfullyreducedthenumberofchildarrests,whichhasledtohugereductionsinthenumberoffirsttimeentrantstotheyouthjusticesystemandthenumberofchildreninprison.Thenumberofchildreninprisonfellby58percentbetween2010and2016(YJB,2017).Therateofreductioninarrestsandcustodyshowsaclearrelationship–ifwereduceentrantstothesystemwestemtheflowintocustody.
Atatimewhenseniorpoliceofficershaveexpressedconcernsabouthavingtheresourcestodealeffectivelywithseriouspublicsafetyincidents,suchasterroristattacks,itiswelcomethatvaluablepolicetimeisnotbeingwastedinpursuingtheunnecessarycriminalisationofchildren.Italsomeansthattensofthousandsofchildrenhavenotbeenexposedtotheharmfulyouthjusticesystemandhadtheirlifechancesblighted.
Thispositivetrendacrosspoliceforceshasbeenledatanationallevel,mostnotablybytheNationalPoliceChiefsCouncil(NPCC),whichhasprioritisedimprovementsinthepolicingofchildren.In2015,theNPCCpublishedthe‘NationalStrategyforthePolicingofChildrenandYoungPeople’,whichemphasisestheimportanceofaproportionateandconsistentresponseandavoidingunnecessarycriminalisation–especiallywherethebehaviourcanbedealtwithmoreappropriatelythroughothermeans.
TheHowardLeagueregularlymeetsandcorrespondswithforcesandsharesevidenceofgoodpracticeinlocalareas.Therearesomanyexamplesthatthisbriefingcannotshowcasethemall,buttheyincludetheChiefConstableofDurhamPolice,whohasmetwitheachofhisofficersindividuallytoimpressuponthemaproblemsolvingapproachratherthanrelyingonarrests.SurreyPolicehavefocusedonshiftingtheculturewithintheforce.Aspartofthis,theyhavedeliveredtrainingtoallcustodyandfrontlinestafffocusingontheneedtoreducethenumberofchildrenarrested.Theyalsorananinternalforcecommunicationscampaigntoencouragepeopletoseethe‘childfirstandtheoffencesecond’.ThamesValley,likemanyforces,nowhasasysteminplacesothataninspectorreviewseverychildarrest.
Thisbriefingpapertellsagoodnewsstory.TheHowardLeagueisconcerned,however,thattoomanychildrenarestillbeingbroughtintoconflictwiththecriminaljusticesystem,withnegativeimplicationsfortheirfuturelivesattheexpenseoftheircommunitiesandthetaxpayer.Evidenceshowsthatthemorecontactachildhaswiththeformalcriminaljusticesystem,themoreentrenchedtheyarelikelytobecome,whichincreasesreoffendingrates(McAraandMcVie,2007).TheHowardLeaguewillcontinuetoworkwithpoliceforcesacrossthecountrytodeveloptheirgoodworkandreducethenumberofchildarreststoanabsoluteminimum.
Tosupportthisaim,andinresponsetoconcernsrepeatedlyraisedwiththecharitybypoliceforces,theHowardLeaguehaslaunchedaprogrammeofworktoendtheunnecessarycriminalisationofchildrenlivinginresidentialcare.Exploringbestpracticewithinthepoliceserviceandresidentialcaresector,itbuildsonthecharity’sworktokeepasmanyboysandgirlsaspossibleoutofthecriminaljusticesystemandmakeourcommunitiessafer.
Child arrestsThedataobtainedbytheHowardLeagueshowsthatin2016therewere87,525childarrestsinEnglandandWales.Thisconstitutesareductionof64percentsince2010anda14percentreductioncomparedto2015.
EverypoliceforceinEnglandandWaleshasreducedthenumberofchildarrestsbetween2010and2016,with12forcesachievingreductionsofmorethan75percent.Allbutthreeforceshavereducedtherateofchildarrestsbymorethan50percentsince2010.
Twoforcesreportedanincreaseinchildarrestscomparedto2015.Althoughthenumbersarerelativelysmall,thisisofconcernandtheHowardLeaguewillworkwithbothforcestoaddressthistrend.
Twenty-threepercentofallchildarrestsinEnglandandWalesin2016weremadebytheMetropolitanPolice,whichwasheavilycriticisedbyHMInspectorateofConstabularyforsystemicchildprotectionfailings.Theforceisnowaddressingtheseconcerns.ThefocusonimprovingthepolicingofchildreniswelcomeandtheHowardLeagueissupportingandadvisingontheirwork.ItishopedthatthiswillleadtoasubstantialreductioninchildarrestsinLondon.
Gender Therewere14,487arrestsofgirlsin2016.Arrestsofgirlshavefallenatafasterratethanforboys.Thenumberhasfallenby69percentsince2010.Between2010and2016thenumberofgirlsinpenalcustodyinEnglandandWalesfellby78percent(YJB,2017).
Police force 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
Avon&SomersetConstabulary 7,255 5,608 4,321 2,929 2,342 1,767 1,533
Bedfordshire 1,853 1,692 1,770 1,390 1,290 1,175 1,085
BritishTransportPolice**** * * 2,077 1,645 1,336 1,014 130*****
CambridgeshireConstabulary 3,440 2,099 1,473 1,067 1,060 979 1,013
CheshireConstabulary 1,870 1,904 1,508 1,269 1,266 1,292 1,187
CityofLondon 273 192 136 122 77 80 51
ClevelandPolice 4,367 3,368 2,407 1,862 1,527 1,358 1,206
CumbriaConstabulary 1,274 1,864 1,263 1,125 1,073 1,034 900
DerbyshireConstabulary 4,194 3,938 ** 1,930 1,840 1,573 797**
Devon&CornwallConstabulary 4,132 3,363 2,398 1,431 1,470 1,297 994
DorsetPolice 2,310 1,053 1,252 815 770 916 447
DurhamConstabulary 3,658 2,841 1,767 1,445 1,493 1,193 1,157
DyfedPowysPolice 2,307 1,643 1,584 1,165 687 625 501
EssexPolice 7,739 5,870 4,237 3,931 3,718 2,635 2,588
GloucestershireConstabulary 1,516 1,412 1,268 920 861 725 663
GreaterManchesterPolice**** *** 10,903 7,807 6,144 5,969 4,587 3,714
GwentPolice 2,503 2,163 1,698 1,569 980 1,172 930
HampshireConstabulary 8,267 6,533 5,091 6,058 3,192 2,295 1,711
HertfordshireConstabulary 3,948 1,809 2,478 1,776 1,753 1,632 1,558
HumbersidePolice 5,751 2,067 2,732 2,008 1,460 1,300 1,409
KentPolice 7,505 6,409 4,412 4,602 3,752 2,976 2,900
LancashireConstabulary 9,779 5,476 4,158 3,201 2,887 3,074 2,775
LeicestershireConstabulary 3,322 2,685 2,252 1,670 1,553 1,103 806
LincolnshirePolice *** 1,911 1,290 1,027 990 1,117 913
MerseysidePolice 10,197 8,421 6,213 5,066 5,295 3,273 2,570
Metropolitan 46,079 39,901 30,155 26,442 23,402 22,328 20,387
NorfolkConstabulary 2,510 2,201 1,316 1,384 1,561 1,602 1,261
NorthWalesPolice 3,420 2,596 2,022 1,780 1,554 1,577 1,532
NorthYorkshirePolice 4,525 3,644 1,152 1,556 1,445 1,317 1,291
NorthamptonshirePolice 2,594 2,177 1,660 1,289 1,270 1,115 885
NorthumbriaPolice 11,407 9,280 6,983 5,990 5,280 3,829 2,838
NottinghamshirePolice 5,743 4,640 2,989 2,189 2,319 1,840 1,466
SouthWalesPolice 5,659 2,551 3,166 3,245 2,978 2,854 2,499
SouthYorkshirePolice 6,235 5,094 3,344 2,693 2,285 1,812 1,396
StaffordshirePolice 4,163 3,316 2,491 1,741 1,418 1,808 1,350
SuffolkConstabulary**** 3,716 1,684 1,388 1,118 1,030 1,011 858
SurreyPolice 1,955 1,974 1,483 1,524 1,624 1,338 889
SussexPolice 5,779 4,564 4,423 4,018 3,220 2,679 2,185
ThamesValleyPolice 8,012 6,539 2,531** 3,808 3,225 2,872 2,446
WarwickshirePolice 1,419 1,050 673 623 563 619 597
WestMerciaConstabulary 5,491 3,442 2,664 1,758 1,418 1,354 1,247
WestMidlandsPolice 14,387 10,487 7,484 7,123 5,803 5,438 5,244
WestYorkshirePolice 12,947 10,600 7,492 6,148 5,417 5,045 4,663
WiltshireConstabulary**** 2,262 1,997 1,054 1,122 991 1,048 953
TOTAL 245,763 202,961 150,602 131,718 115,444 101,678 87,525
Table 1: Number of child arrests 2010-2016 by police service area
*Not sent FOI requests in 2010 or 2011 **Limited data - some data lost when new system was introduced *** Police force did not supply data **** Revised data provided ***** Data limited to 1 January 2016 to 20 February 2016 as crime recording system was changed
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Primary-age childrenTherewere703arrestsofprimary-agechildrenin2016.Arrestsof10-and11-year-oldshavefallenatafasterratethanthereductionofallchildarrestsinthesameperiod.Between2015and2016therewasan18percentreductioninthenumberofarrestsofprimary-agechildren.
Case study – Hampshire Constabulary HampshireConstabularyhasachieveda79percentreductioninchildarrestssince2010.Thisislikelytobeanunderestimateoftheirsuccessasthedatasetchangedduringthistimetoinclude17-year-olds.
Between2014and2016HampshireConstabularydeliveredtrainingpackagestoallfrontlineofficers,investigatorsandcustodyofficers,whichgavestaffthetoolstoconsideralloptionsavailablewhendealingwithchildren.ThetrainingcoursesdeliveredincludedPaceCodeG,OutofCourtDisposalsandExercisingYourDiscretion.TheExercisingYourDiscretioncoursespecificallyusedcasestudiesthathighlightedpreviousinteractionswithchildrenandhowpositiveoutcomescouldbeachievedbylessintrusivemeans.OfficerswerealsotrainedonhowtousetheNationalDecisionMakingmodelwhilstconsideringthemostappropriateoutcomeforthechild,victimandthepolice.Neighbourhoodofficersandresponseofficersreceivedfurthertraininginrelationtolooked-afterchildren.
Inearly2014,HampshireConstabularyintroducedmulti-agencyyouthtriagepanels.Thepanelsconsiderappropriateoutcomesandearlyinterventionwithyouthservices.Casesareconsideredwhetherthechildwasarrestedornot,furtherreducingtheneedforchildrentocomeintocustody.
Case study – Dorset PoliceDorsetPolicehasreducedthenumberofchildarrestsby81percentbetween2010and2016,makingitoneofthemostsuccessfulforcesin
thecountry.ThenumberofchildarrestsmadebyDorsetPolicefellby51percentbetween2015and2016.
Custodysergeantsarecontactedbyofficersbeforetheytakeanychildintocustodyandtheyappropriatelychallengeanyrequestmadeandfullyrecordtherationalefordecisionstaken.Thisrobustapproachallowsofficerstoexploreothermoresuitableoptionswhendealingwithchildren,treatingthemaschildrenfirst.
Dorsethasaschoolsincidentpolicy,whichprovidesguidanceonthetypeofincidentswherethepoliceshouldbeinvolvedandthosethatshouldbedealtwithbytheschool.FromApril2014,incidentsinschoolshavebeendealtwithpredominantlybytheSafeSchoolsandCommunitiesTeam.Theseincidentswouldpreviouslyhavebeendealtwithbypoliceofficersandsomeofthosewouldhaveresultedinarrestsandchildrengoingintocustody.
DorsetPolicewonthe2016HowardLeagueCommunityAwardinthePolicingandChildrencategory.
About the Howard League for Penal ReformTheHowardLeagueisanationalcharityworkingforlesscrime,safercommunitiesandfewerpeopleinprison.
Wecampaign,researchandtakelegalactiononawiderangeofissues.Weworkwithparliament,themedia,criminaljusticeprofessions,stakeholdersandmembersofthepublic,influencingdebateandforcingthroughmeaningfulchange.
Afulllistofreferencesisavailableonourwebsiteatwww.howardleague.org/what-you-can-do/children-and-policing/