In recent years, the total number of children arrested has reduced, and there are fewer first-time entrants to the youth justice system. However, the positive developments have not been shared equally. Today, the number of White and Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) children in custody remains at 52%, despite BAME children making up only 18% of the child population.

This report makes 45 recommendations which seek to increase decision-makers’ understanding of the child appearing before them. The aim is to eradicate, and if not, minimise, the bias, suspicion and misperception that pervades discriminatory exercise of power. In this way, we hope that criminal justice agencies will be able to meet BAME communities’ expectations of fair and impartial treatment at each stage of, and interaction with, the criminal justice system.

Published in February 2021 by JUSTICE.