Justice Secretary David Lammy has pledged to cut the number of children held in jail while awaiting trial by 25%, as part of a sweeping overhaul of youth justice rules that could also abolish lifelong criminal records for individuals under 18. The measures, outlined in a white paper published on Monday, aim to significantly reduce the incarceration of young people, a fate Lammy described as his greatest fear while growing up in Tottenham during the 1980s.
New Community Sentences and Reduced Remand
The reforms will grant judges a broader range of community sentences, thereby further decreasing the number of children in custody. Lammy, who also serves as Deputy Prime Minister, argued that imprisonment can inflict lasting harm on young lives and pledged to curtail the use of custodial remand and short sentences for under-18s. The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) will additionally consult on measures to hold parents accountable, including fines or even imprisonment, if they fail to prevent their children from engaging in criminal activity.
Personal Reflection on Youth Justice
Lammy reflected on his own upbringing, stating: "Growing up in Tottenham in the 1980s, my biggest fear was ending up in prison. That may sound irrational, but in truth it was the fate of so many young Black boys like me. You saw it happen slowly at first. People missed school, got into petty trouble, started hanging around with the wrong crowd. No one stepped in to pull them back. For us, going to jail didn't feel shocking or distant. It felt almost inevitable." He credited a scholarship to a state boarding school for providing him an escape route that many others lacked, adding: "I often think: 'There but for the grace of God go I.' Even today, that line between a child who thrives and a child whose life falls apart is often painfully thin."
Lammy emphasised that incarcerating children often increases their likelihood of future offending. While acknowledging that custody remains necessary for the most serious offences to protect the public, he argued that even brief spells inside can disrupt formative years and expose young people to greater violence and criminal influences.
Investment in Early Intervention
The white paper includes an additional £15 million per year to fund teams dedicated to working with children identified as at risk of offending, such as those subject to antisocial behaviour orders (Asbos). Lammy aims to reduce custodial remand for under-18s by 25% by the end of the current parliament, with the ultimate goal of eliminating it entirely. Officials project that these combined measures will cut the overall youth prison population by 20%.
New Offence and Youth Intervention Courts
A new offence of child criminal exploitation will be created to penalise adults who encourage minors to commit crimes. The MoJ will also pilot "youth intervention courts," where judges and support workers collaborate to design individually tailored plans for young offenders. These plans may include compliance with specific health or educational requirements, alongside close monitoring to prevent reoffending.
Review of Criminal Records for Minors
Lammy is launching a consultation on whether children should be required to disclose criminal records for the rest of their lives, a practice he criticised in his 2017 review of Black, Asian, and minority ethnic individuals in the justice system. He stated: "We will review how offences committed in childhood appear on criminal records, because a mistake made at 13 should not become a life sentence of closed doors and lost chances."
MoJ figures indicate that 80% of prolific offenders committed their first crime as a child, and two-thirds of those released from custody reoffend within a year. Children's Commissioner Rachel de Souza welcomed the reforms, saying: "I have consistently been clear about the need to reform the youth justice system. We must build an approach that keeps children safe, diverts them from crime wherever possible and prioritises meaningful behaviour change."
