Child arrests in Merseyside fall by 68% in five years
Merseyside Police is being praised for reducing the number of children being arrested.
Merseyside Police is being praised for reducing the number of children being arrested.
Legal reform charity the Howard League, claims it will stop them from being dragged in the justice system and becoming serious criminals.
Last year just over 3200 under 17s were held - down from 10,000 in 2010.
Across England and Wales, police made 102,666 arrests of boys and girls aged 17 and under during 2015 - a 58% reduction in five years.
Every police force in England and Wales made fewer child arrests in 2015 than in 2010. 34 forces brought down their number of child arrests by more than half, including 10 who achieved reductions of more than 70%.
The most successful force in the country was Humberside Police, which recorded a 77% drop in the number of arrests.
There were 874 arrests of primary-age children (10- and 11-year-olds) in 2015, a reduction of 19 per cent from the previous year.
Frances Crook, Chief Executive of the Howard League for Penal Reform, said:
“I applaud Merseyside Police for their success in reducing child arrests. The Howard League is proud to have played its part in a significant change to the policing and life chances of children.
“It is particularly gratifying that, across England and Wales, the reduction in child arrests matches exactly the reduction in custody for children, and it is no coincidence. We have stemmed the flow of children into the justice system and the consequential downward spiral into crime and custody.”