The Young Advocates’ new report shares youth-led insights to keep children and young people out of the justice system
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.
The Young Advocates project is led by children and young people aged 13–21 who have lived experience of the youth justice system and want to be part of a movement to drive positive change, delivered in partnership between the AYJ and Leaders Unlocked with the generous support of BBC Children in Need.
The report presents findings and recommendations 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. This year, the aim was to go beyond our first round of findings, to explore the routes into the justice system for young people, as compared to pathways out and away from it. Key findings include:
Criminalisation
Young people are put under suspicion due to their age, associations and ‘the group’ and most targeted due to race and nationality. Intersectionality significantly impacts targeting and treatment.
There is a perception that girls are treated less harshly by the justice system, except when they are Black.
The needs of girls and women are being missed, overlooked and criminalised.
Many boys and young men are being denied and detached from the status of ‘victim’ which limits their access to support.
Policing
Accountability of the police is severely disproportionate to the increasing levels of power they have.
Young people do not safe from police officers, even at home.
Where force is used against children, they reported experiencing police using an unreasonable amount.
Intervention and diversion
No one is responsible or held accountable for children that are excluded from education and the increased harm they face.
Having at least one positive role model and a positive activity to be involved in are vital for a child’s success.
Experiences of therapy were often viewed as positive and a significant contributing factor to understanding behaviour and how to change this.
Some children and young people are missing out on the interventions they need.
In response to the findings, the Young Advocates developed a series of recommendations for decision-makers to address these challenges. It is now down to policy-makers, organisations and other changemakers to drive their recommendations forward.
Presenting the findings and recommendations
On Wednesday 28th February 2024, the Young Advocates held an online showcase to an audience that included Parliamentarians, senior officials, police officers, youth justice service practitioners, and organisations from across the voluntary and community sector. It was great to see a range of new audiences, as well as familiar faces from their periods of engagement. They presented their key findings and recommendations for change and shared key messages about their time on the project, what they have learned about themselves. how they have grown and developed, and what they are working on now.
The Shadow Minister for Youth Justice, Janet Daby, and Chair of the Youth Justice Board, Keith Fraser, were invited to respond to their findings, and both echoed the importance of inclusion and leadership on this work extending to the children and young people most affected by the issues. The Young Advocates were delighted with the overwhelmingly positive feedback from the audience, and encouraged by the takeaway messages and actions that attendees took from the event.
The Young Advocates, AYJ, and Leaders Unlocked would like to thank BBC Children in Need for their support for the first phase of the project.
We are keen to further develop the Young Advocates project in the years ahead, building on their successes in terms of peer research, advising policy makers, practitioner training and developing new interventions. We will be exploring new funding avenues for the future of the project and would be keen to hear from potential partners and supporters.
Read the full Young Advocates Report here.