David Lammy has pledged to cut the number of children jailed while awaiting trial by 25% as part of a proposed overhaul of youth justice rules. The justice secretary’s white paper, due Monday, aims to reduce custodial remand for under-18s and could end lifelong criminal records for minors. Lammy, who grew up in Tottenham in the 1980s, said his greatest fear as a child was ending up in prison—a fate he described as “almost inevitable” for many young Black boys at the time.
The plan includes reducing the use of short sentences and custodial remand for children, arguing that prison can cause lasting harm. Lammy, also deputy prime minister, said judges will be allowed to offer more community-based sentences. The Ministry of Justice will consult on fining or jailing parents who fail to keep their children away from crime. “For many children, even a short spell inside can do lasting damage,” he said, citing the disruption of formative years and exposure to criminal influence.
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The white paper proposes spending an additional £15 million annually to support teams working with at-risk children, such as those with antisocial behavior orders. He aims to cut custodial remand for under-18s by 25% by the end of Parliament, with a long-term goal of eliminating it. These measures, combined with expanded community sentences, could reduce youth prison numbers by 20%, officials said.
New initiatives include “youth intervention courts,” where judges and support workers would create tailored plans for young offenders. These might involve educational or health requirements, alongside close monitoring to prevent reoffending. He also plans to create a new offense for adults who exploit children to commit crimes, a move aimed at targeting those who manipulate minors.
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The government will review whether criminal records for offenses committed as children should last a lifetime. Lammy criticized lifelong records in 2017, calling them a “life sentence of closed doors.” Statistics show 80% of prolific offenders first committed crimes as children, and two-thirds of those released from custody reoffend within a year.
Rachel de Souza, the children’s commissioner, called for systemic reform to keep kids safe and prioritize behavior change. “We must build an approach that diverts children from crime wherever possible,” she said. The plan faces scrutiny, but Lammy emphasized that custodial sentences remain necessary for the most serious offenses. “For the most serious crimes, custody will always be necessary,” he said, stressing that public safety must not be compromised.
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Officials noted that 20% of children in prison are held on remand, often for minor offenses. He proposed to cut that number by a quarter, reflecting broader concerns about the long-term impact of incarceration on young people. The white paper’s success will depend on funding, judicial cooperation, and public support for alternatives to jail.
The debate over criminal records for minors remains contentious. Critics argue that removing lifelong records could hinder accountability, while supporters say it offers a second chance. His approach balances punishment with rehabilitation, but its effectiveness will hinge on implementation. For now, the focus remains on reducing the number of children in custody before trial—a goal he called “urgent” and “essential.”
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