This is our first regular statistics update, looking at the latest data on crime and
violence affecting young people.
Youth justice statistics
It includes: young people in the criminal justice system since the start of the
pandemic; levels of crime and violence reported by police and the Office for
National Statistics; and experimental statistics from the telephone operated crime survey of England and Wales.
Summary
Insight 1: Proven offences by young people fell significantly during the pandemic The number of first-time entrants to the youth justice system fell 20% in 2020/21, the largest fall in the past eight years. There was on average 560 young people in custody, a fall of 28%.
Insight 2: Courts have been affected by Covid-19
Covid-19 restrictions limited court activity, with the average time from
offense to sentencing or acquittal increasing by seven weeks to 219
days.
Insight 3: Crime has increased recently
Victim-based crime reported by the police rose 13% between March
and September 2021. Violence against the person was up 12% and
robberies 29%.
Insight 4: Some young people are disproportionately affected
There were 19% fewer arrests of young people aged 10-17. However,
disproportionality remains high, with 85% of arrests being boys.
Around 30% of young people who were arrested are from Black,
Asian and mixed ethnic backgrounds in 2020/21, despite accounting
for 18% of the population.