Find out what we've been up to in the month of July!

Commenting on the Government’s ‘Beating Crime Plan’, the AYJ raises concerns that it does not go far enough to tackle the root causes of offending, provide adequate support children and young people, and address the devastating impacts of COVID-19.

The exceptional impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the youth justice system are documented in a new report published today. The comprehensive report finds that COVID-19 has devastatingly exacerbated the issues faced by children affected by the youth justice system.

AYJ members share their reflections in a series of blogs, as part of The Youth Justice System’s Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic research project. We invited our members and the wider youth justice sector to share their experiences of the pandemic and how this impacted their work.

Recently, our Young Advocates were joined by a very special guest at their meeting - Criminologist, Urban Youth specialist, and community scholar, Craig Pinkney.

In March, the AYJ and a coalition of organisations wrote an open letter to the Prime Minister, warning that the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill will deepen existing racial inequality in the criminal justice system. Alex Chalk MP has responded on behalf of the government.

Find out what we've been up to in the month of June!

The AYJ and our members joined with the Education Select Committee to inform the next stages of their inquiry into Prison Education and an opportunity for members to help shape the priorities of the committee’s inquiry relating to children and young people.

AYJ have provided both written and oral evidence to the Joint Committee on Human Rights’ legislative scrutiny of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill regarding youth justice.

The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts (PCSC) Bill fails to address burning injustices in our youth justice system caused when a child turns 18. Here, the AYJ sets out recommendations to improve the Bill and ensure children are treated as children.

Clause 136 of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts (PCSC) Bill proposes reforms to criminal records. Here, the AYJ examines these reforms and sets out our recommendations.

Clause 131 of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts (PCSC) Bill proposes changes to the use of remand for children. Here, the AYJ examines these changes and sets out our recommendations.

While the AYJ has numerous concerns across many different aspects of the Police, Crime, Sentencing, and Courts Bill, we have narrowed these down to three principal concerns regarding the impact on children’s rights as set out by the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). These are the ways in which the Bill fails to treat children as children, will increase the incarceration of children, and exacerbate racial disparities.

Clauses 7-21 of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill introduce a multi-agency ‘Serious Violence Duty’. Here, the AYJ examines the Duty and our recommendations for change.

Clauses 100-106 of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill propose changes to child custody. Here, the AYJ examines these changes and sets out our recommendations.

Clauses 166-169 of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts (PCSC) Bill proposes an expansion of video links in court. Here, the AYJ examines these proposals and sets out our recommendations.

Clause 135 of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts (PCSC) Bill proposes reforms to community sentencing. Here, the AYJ examines these reforms and sets out our recommendations.

The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts (PCSC) Bill will further entrench racial disparities and continue to reduce public trust and confidence in the criminal justice system. Here, the AYJ examines the Bill on the grounds of racial inequality and sets out our recommendations.

Back in March, to mark our relaunch as the Alliance for Youth Justice (AYJ), we held an event which questioned how we could reimagine ‘justice’ for children. Watch the event highlights here!

Our joint statement calls on Government to embrace a new vision of childhood and set out an ambitious cross-Government plan, backed by significant investment, that will be transformational for this generation of children.