AYJ Response: Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill - House of Lords Briefing
The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill is due its second reading in the House of Lords on Tuesday 14th September. The AYJ has worked with Parliamentarians, our members, and wider coalitions of organisations to examine the proposals and produce recommendations to improve the Bill, set out in our House of Lords Briefing, which will also be accompanied by a Peers briefing event.
The PCSC Bill introduces a whole host of provisions with a range of impacts on children in or at risk of involvement in the youth justice system. While there are some elements which the AYJ welcomes, we are particularly concerned that measures risk increasing the use of custody for children, exacerbate existing disparities and injustices, and fail to treat children as children.
Our extensive second reading briefing, examines the impacts of the Bill, identifying where new measures should be added to address missed opportunities; where provisions stand to reverse recent progress in youth justice and must be removed; and where existing proposals should be amended to maximise their positive potential or address unintended negative consequences. Topics covered in the briefing include:
Children in custody and custodial remand
Racial and ethnic inequalities
Older children and turning 18
The use of Live Links in court proceedings
Childhood criminal records
The Serious Violence Duty
Child Criminal Exploitation
Community sentencing
Read the briefing here.
AYJ will also be hosting a Peers briefing event on the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill, on Thursday 14th October, from 3.30-5.00pm, via Zoom. The event will be joined by expert AYJ members, highlighting the impacts of the Bill and the importance of ensuring custody is a last resort, tackling racial disparities, and taking a distinct approach to children in contact with the law. The agenda includes:
Children in custody and custodial remand – Dr Laura Janes, the Howard League for Penal Reform
Racial disparities – Shadae Cazeau, previous Head of Policy at EQUAL
The Serious Violence Duty – Iryna Pona, The Children’s Society; and Tyrone Steele, JUSTICE
Video and audio links in court – Penelope Gibbs, Transform Justice
Turning 18 – Louise King, Just for Kids Law/Children’s Rights Alliance for England
If you are interested in joining the Peers briefing event, please email our Senior Policy Officer, Millie Harris, at millie.harris@ayj.org.uk