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.

This literature review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the existing policy, practice and research literature about the impacts of COVID-19 on the youth justice system. The review considers the impacts of the pandemic across each stage of the youth justice system, bringing together findings from community-based responses, the courts, and the secure estate.

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.

AYJ speaks to Youth Justice Consultant, Michael O’Connor, on how Covid-19 has impacted his work in youth justice and how he has adapted to this unprecedented year.

AYJ member Khulisa, a national charity that provides wellbeing support to vulnerable young people in schools and prisons, talks us through how Covid-19 has impacted their work in youth justice and how they have adapted to this unprecedented year.

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!

Caroline Liggins, Criminal Defence Solicitor and Chair of the Youth Practitioners’ Association, reflects upon developments since her AYJ blog post, published back in July 2020, on the impact of COVID-19 on children in the youth justice system.

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.