NCJ Number
144431
Date Published
1993
Length
3 pages
Annotation
England's Penal Affairs Consortium believes that introducing new custodial penalties for juveniles to deal with persistent offending is miguided; instead, the Consortium recommends alternatives to incarceration.
Abstract
The number of juvenile offenders in England and Wales has declined by 37 percent since 1980, from 175,800 in 1980 to 110,900 in 1990. During 1990, of all males between 14 and 17 years of age found guilty or of cautioned for indictable offenses, 54 percent were involved in theft or handling stolen goods, 20 percent in burglary, 11 percent in violent offenses, 4 percent in criminal damage, 2 percent in sex offenses, and 2 percent in robbery. The period between 1980 and 1990 saw a substantial increase in the number of juvenile offenders cautioned. The increased use of cautioning and the reduced use of custody were achieved without a general increase in recorded offending rates. Section 53 of England's Children and Young Persons Act provides for the use of custody for juveniles who commit serious offenses against the person. In addition, local authorities provide secure accommodation to deal with other offenders. The Consortium acknowledges that some juvenile offenders require secure accommodation. In general, however, incarcerating juveniles only hardens their criminal behavior.