Parents and guardians could reportedly be jailed if they are found not to have played their role in stopping their children from committing a crime. A shake-up of the youth justice system is being spearheaded by Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy, who hopes to prevent children from starting a life of crime with a series of reforms in the new Youth Justice White Paper.
Proposed Reforms
As part of the plans, parents and carers could face greater responsibility and harsh repercussions for their children who commit crimes and cause anti-social behaviour. Ministers plan to strengthen parenting orders, which currently mean parents can be compelled to address their children's behaviour through counselling and guidance, or can lead to fines. The Ministry of Justice said the use of such orders has declined dramatically over the last two decades, from more than a thousand in 2009/10, to 33 in 2022/23.
Alongside the greater role for parents, Mr Lammy also plans to pilot new youth intervention courts, which will bring together judges and support services to tackle issues that are drawing young people into crime. The courts will also supervise young offenders and give them tailored health and education interventions to help them avoid a life of crime.
Investment and Impact
Elsewhere in the plans championed by Mr Lammy are proposals to invest £15.4 million per year in a programme that will help 12,000 children at risk of entering the youth justice system over the next three years. According to the Telegraph, the desire to strengthen parental orders comes in the wake of the inquiry into the Southport stabbings, and could result in jail time for parents whose children break the law.
Southport Inquiry Influence
The chairman of the public inquiry investigating the atrocity said Axel Rudakubana, then 17, would not have been free to murder three young girls at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in July 2024 had his parents reported his escalating violence and hoarding of weapons to police. Sir Adrian Fulford's report into the Southport attack said that it was a 'clearly signposted disaster waiting to happen', with Rudakubana's parents found to be obstructing officials despite signs of violence, were 'too ready' to excuse their son's actions, and failed to stand up to his behaviour or set any boundaries. The inquiry found other catastrophic failures by police, social services, mental health teams, youth justice services, and other agencies that left him free to kill with 'chilling brutality'.
Official Statements
Mr Lammy said: 'Too many young people are being drawn into crime, with devastating consequences for victims, communities and their own futures. These reforms lay the foundation to intervene far earlier, support families, and tackle the drivers of offending so fewer young people become trapped in cycles of crime, creating safer streets and fewer victims.'
The White Paper, published today, could also lead to the end of people having to disclose criminal convictions from when they were children throughout their lives. Offences that took place in childhood have hampered the life chances of some people even into their 60s. Mr Lammy plans to launch a consultation on childhood criminal records that could end the lifelong disclosure requirement.
Justice minister Jake Richards said: 'Put simply, the youth justice system is not working - not for children, victims and communities blighted by crime. These reforms will modernise the system, keep pace with emerging risks, and ensure young offenders get the support they need to turn their lives around, while improving public safety.'
Children's Commissioner Dame Rachel de Souza said: 'As Children's Commissioner, 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. Education is central to this. It is the most powerful tool we have to prevent offending in the first place, and it remains vital for those in Young Offender Institutions who have already fallen through the cracks. I am therefore pleased to welcome the Youth Justice White Paper published today, and that I have been asked to undertake a review of the education children in YOIs receive, with the aim of improving outcomes and giving these children a better chance for the future.'
Political Reaction
The Conservatives, meanwhile, cast doubt on the Government's ability to reform youth justice. Nick Timothy, the shadow justice secretary, said: 'Whatever Labour say today they have already shown they don't have it in their DNA to be tough on crime. They've let thousands of prisoners early and abolished short-term sentences - so most perpetrators of knife crime who have been sent to prison in the past few years will escape a custodial sentence in future. This goes to show the problem with this government is not Starmer - it's Labour. This country needs a strong Conservative government that will back our police, lock up criminals and crack down on crime.'
