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Publications · Policing, Young People

Child arrests in England and Wales 2018

A research briefing

  • ISBN: 978-1-911114-38-3

  • Published: 2019

  • Pages: 4

  • Publisher: Howard League for Penal Reform

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Child arrests in England and Wales 2018 Bibliography

In 2010, the Howard League launched a programme to reduce the high number of child arrests in England and Wales.

We have worked closely with police forces around the country to reduce the number of children coming into the criminal justice system and to prevent children’s lives being blighted by criminal records and unnecessary police contact.

The data obtained by the Howard League shows that in 2018 there were 70,078 child arrests in England and Wales. This constitutes a reduction of 71 per cent since 2010 and a decrease of 11 per cent compared to 2017.

Every police force in England and Wales has reduced the number of child arrests between 2010 and 2018, with 18 forces achieving reductions of 75 per cent or more. All but four forces have reduced the rate of child arrests in their areas by more than 50 per cent since 2010.

This analysis is based on freedom of information data from 43 police service areas in England and Wales and the British Transport Police.

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