Exploring Racial Disparity in Diversion from the Youth Justice System
Research project finds racial disparities in youth justice decision-making and makes a number of recommendations to reduce them.
The number of children entering the YJS reduced significantly in recent years. This was supported by an emphasis on diversion from prosecution. However, the number of children from minority ethnic backgrounds entering the YJS has decreased less than the number of white children entering the YJS.
This research examined decision-making at the gateway to the YJS (initial contact with the police, including arrest) and aimed to:
- Produce recommendations for policy and practice, highlighting how decision-making would need to change to reduce racial disproportionality.
- Identify the extent and nature of racial disproportionality at the gateway to the YJS and illuminate factors that explain it.
We found that where decision-making is made by a single agency (the police/ courts) racial disparities increased. Where multi-agencies with expertise were involved in diversionary decision-making, disparities decreased. Some of our recommendations are currently being tested in practice – see below for more information (including full report, exec summary and policy briefing).