AYJ comment on HMI Prisons’ reports Children in Custody 2023-24 and Feltham A YOI Independent Review of Progress

AYJ CEO Jess Mullen reflects on the importance of this year’s Black History Month theme ‘Reclaiming Narratives’ for Black and racially minoritised children in, or at risk of involvement in, the youth justice system

AYJ comment on HMI Prisons’ progress review on the separation of children in Young Offender Institutions

Our new briefing, Setting the youth justice agenda, urges the government to take bold action to reform the youth justice system. We set out changes new Ministers must prioritise to ensure a safeguarding response to vulnerable children, end racial injustice, and ensure that custody is a last resort.

This briefing urges the government to take bold action to reimagine youth justice. We set out changes new Ministers must prioritise to ensure a safeguarding response to vulnerable children, end racial injustice, and guarantee that custody is a last resort.

Our statement following racist riots across the UK and subsequent arrests, including of a significant number of children

A deeply concerning inspection report on conditions in Feltham YOI demonstrates the urgent need for youth custody reform. The newly announced Crime and Policing Bill is a crucial opportunity to keep children out of the failing secure estate

With the general election fast approaching, we’ve taken a look at what the Conservative, Labour, and Liberal Democrat party manifestos say about youth justice

With the general election round the corner, the next government has a critical opportunity to reimagine youth justice. AYJ sets out our priorities for the next government

In the latest episode of the AYJ’s podcast series, we spotlight on the ground-breaking new report ‘The Life of a Top Boy’, which centres the perspectives of young Black men about trauma and violence in the community.

This week the AYJ says goodbye to Pippa Goodfellow, who has been the AYJ’s Chief Executive for the past five years.

The AYJ is delighted to announce that the Charity Commission has registered us as a charity, following our recent application and has been entered onto the Register of Charities.

This second report from the Young Advocates Project presents findings from engagement with 90 children and young people across England and Wales, and focuses on the three priority topics of criminalisation, policing, and intervention and diversion. The aim was to explore the routes into the justice system for young people, as compared to pathways out and away from it.

This is the second report from the Young Advocates Project, which has been co-produced by children and young people with first-hand experience of the youth justice system.

On 8th February we held a launch event for our report on supporting racially minoritised young people transitioning to adulthood, bringing together policymakers, voluntary and community sector organisations, and young people.

AYJ comment on HMI Prisons’ inspection report on Wetherby Young Offender Institution (YOI)

The AYJ is delighted to announce that we have received a new five-year core grant from the Paul Hamlyn Foundation, made through the latest round of their Backbone Fund.

The Alliance for Youth Justice (AYJ) is delighted to announce the appointment of Jess Mullen as its new Chief Executive, who will be joining the organisation in May.

This briefing, part of a project funded by Barrow Cadbury Trust, explores how racially minoritised young people experience particularly destabilising transitions to adulthood due to deficits in support before and after turning 18. It highlights the crucial role the ‘by and for’ voluntary and community sector plays in addressing these shortfalls.

The AYJ has published a report calling for reforms to ensure that as racially minoritised young people in the criminal justice system turn 18, the ‘by and for’ voluntary and community sector is there to support them.