Black History Month 2024: Reclaiming Narratives

Our Chief Executive Jess Mullen reflects on the importance of this year’s Black History Month theme ‘Reclaiming Narratives’ for Black and racially minoritised children in, or at risk of contact with the youth justice system. She highlights that voluntary and community organisations, led by and for racially minoritised people, are essential partners to youth justice services in supporting children to reclaim and develop pro-social identities and fulfil their potential.

This year's Black History Month focuses on Reclaiming Narratives. Recognising and correcting the stories of Black history and culture that have been misrepresented, oversimplified, or overlooked for too long.

Celebrating Black history and culture is crucial. It helps us challenge the racism, negative stereotypes, discrimination, and prejudice that disproportionately impact Black and racially minoritised children in the justice system.

At the Alliance for Youth Justice, we believe in working towards racial justice every month not just during Black History Month. We platform the work of our members led by and for racially minoritised people and share evidence highlighting race inequality and how to address it. We aim to improve systems, services, and support for children in the justice system and achieving racial justice is key to that. We strive to be an anti-racist and anti-oppressive organisation, constantly seeking ways to be more effective in our work.

Decades of tireless work by the race equality and criminal justice sector have highlighted persistent racial inequality in the criminal justice system. Black and racially minoritised children experience cumulative disadvantage before during and after they enter the justice system. They are over policed, they are less likely to be diverted from the system and from custody, sentenced more harshly and have worse experiences of custody and resettlement.

In November, it will be the ten year anniversary of the publication of the Young Review into poorer outcomes for young Black and Muslim men in the criminal justice system, which I wrote, when working at Clinks, with Baroness Lola Young, and in partnership with BTEG, now Action for Race Equality. That Review came six years after the HMPPS Race Review and was followed three years later by David Lammy’s Review. These reports were published over a nearly 20 year period and the vast majority of their findings and recommendations remain relevant today.

We have seen some small indications of progress. The Young Review and Lammy Review certainly succeeded in putting race equality higher up the criminal justice policy agenda. They led to race equality initiatives and work programmes across the MoJ, HMPPS and YJB. And there is some evidence of slight improvements across some outcomes for racially minoritised children in the justice system. However, given the gravity of the issue, that progress has not gone far enough or happened quickly enough. Our latest briefing, "Setting the Youth Justice Agenda", outlines actions the government can take to address the cumulative effects of racial discrimination on children in the justice system.

Pernicious negative stereotypes and racialised narratives of crime persist and influence understandings of criminality and violence contributing to the inequality experienced by Black and racially minoritised children. There has been important work highlighting the racialised understanding of ‘gangs’, how the use of drill music in evidence has led to unfair convictions, how the legal vagueness of joint enterprise is particularly borne by young Black men and teenagers, and there is increasing understanding of adultification whereby Black boys are attributed a level of maturity that is not appropriate to their age.

This is why the theme of this years Black History Month is so important to criminal justice. Many of us working towards race equality in the justice system spend our time highlighting grave injustices and pointing to policy change that could address them. Just as important for the children effected by those injustices is a focus on celebrating their identities, cultures and histories. We know that developing pro social identities and social and cultural capital are vital to supporting children to fulfil their potential.

Earlier this year, we published our report, "Bridging Gaps and Changing Tracks: Supporting Racially Minoritised Young People Transitioning to Adulthood." This report showed how voluntary organisations, particularly organisations led by and for Black and racially minoritised communities, have a vital role to play in addressing the shortcomings of statutory services, providing tailored, authentic support that focusses on empowerment and fosters trust and engagement. This can also support children to explore their history and identity, and reclaim their narratives. It can provide a bridge for them, out of the justice system, towards fulfilling their potential.

We want to celebrate the work of organisations led by and for Black and racially minoritised people this Black History Month and will be sharing examples of their work on our twitter feed. If you or your organisation have any Black History Month plans, opportunities or events or work to progress racial justice that you would like us to celebrate and highlight in our newsletter and on our social media channels please email us at info@ayj.org.uk