Crime: Young People

(asked on 13th July 2020) - View Source

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he is taking to support those convicted of minor crimes in the event that those so convicted were coerced into committing those crimes at a young age; and what assessment he has made of the effect such convictions have on the long-term employment prospects of those so convicted.


Answered by
Lucy Frazer Portrait
Lucy Frazer
Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
This question was answered on 20th July 2020

The Ministry of Justice recognises that many young perpetrators of crime will often have a range of complex needs, some having themselves experienced victimisation. The Government is committed to intervening early and diverting children away from crime, recognising it is far better to prevent a child committing a crime. We also know the importance of supporting child victims to cope and recover.

The Modern Slavery Act 2015 states that children under the age of 18 when they commit certain offences, are not guilty if they were committed as a direct act of exploitation. When deciding whether a prosecution is needed, the Code for Crown Prosecutors is clear that prosecutors must consider the best interests and welfare of the child or young person, amongst other public interest factors. This factor will always carry a special weight in the case of children and young people who are at a very early stage of their offending, and who are suspected of being coerced or exploited, starting from a presumption of diverting them away from the courts where possible.

If a child does receive a conviction, then Youth Offending Teams will work with the child to address the underlying causes of their behaviour, including through specialist services.

The government has recently laid (in July 2020) secondary legislation to change the rules governing criminal records disclosure for sensitive roles by removing the multiple convictions rule and the disclosure of youth cautions, reprimands and warnings. The orders are subject to the approval of Parliament. We are confident that this change will improve employment opportunities for people who have previously offended and will particularly benefit those with childhood cautions.

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