What do we know about repeat offending by children & young people?

Knowledge sources

To assemble a whole court docket historical past for every younger individual, magistrates’ court docket knowledge (2011-2023) and Crown Court docket knowledge (2013-2023) had been introduced collectively. Moreover, for the primary time, data from the Offender Evaluation System (OASys) had been additionally linked to allow evaluation of a broad vary of traits and desires, together with to establish key variations between prolific and nonprolific younger offenders. 

Defining prolific younger offenders 

This evaluation focuses on a cohort of youngsters and younger individuals who have been concerned in repeat offending. For the needs of this evaluation, these are outlined as people who: 

had been 18 years outdated in 2019 and had a conviction for an offence dedicated that yr (the index conviction); and, 

had been convicted in a felony court docket a minimum of thrice for offences dedicated between the ages of 10 and 17 (youth convictions). 

Dangers and desires

For offenders assessed at age 18, prolific younger offenders had increased ranges of want in comparison with nonprolific younger offenders throughout all eight criminogenic areas: lodging, employability, relationships, life-style, drug misuse, alcohol misuse, pondering & behaviour, and attitudes.Every space of criminogenic want is comprised of a set of questions. The questions which exhibited giant variations in vital want embody:college attendance (49% prevalence in prolific younger offenders, in comparison with 20% of nonprolific younger offenders);susceptibility to affect by felony associates (48% prevalence in prolific younger offenders, in comparison with 21% of nonprolific);a historical past of childhood behavioural issues (52% prevalence in prolific younger offenders, in comparison with 24% of nonprolific younger offenders)A bigger proportion (27%) of prolific younger offenders stay in essentially the most disadvantaged 10% of neighbourhoods. This compares to 21% of nonprolific younger offenders and 11% of all 18-year-olds throughout England.

Nature and frequency of offending

Most prolific younger offenders (70%) had been first convicted for offences dedicated between ages 14 and 16; 22% had been convicted for an offence dedicated earlier than age 14.While all younger folks within the cohort met the brink of three youth convictions earlier than turning 18 years outdated, 28% had precisely three, 43% had 4 to 6, 18% had seven to 9, and 11% had ten or extra youth convictions. This means that even amongst prolific younger offenders, there’s a subset that’s notably criminally energetic.Over 1 / 4 (27%) of prolific younger offenders obtained a minimum of one rapid custodial sentence earlier than the age of 18 years outdated.For prolific younger offenders, theft offences accounted for 23% of youth convictions, falling to 12% of offences dedicated as adults. Conversely, convictions for drug and violence offences elevated from 16% for teens to 25% for adults.The extra youth convictions an offender had, the extra possible they had been to proceed offending often as adults. 9% of prolific younger offenders had been convicted of 8 or extra offences as younger adults between the ages of 18-22.

Because of Andy Aitchison for form permission to make use of the header picture on this submit. You’ll be able to see Andy’s work right here