Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask His Majesty's Government what consideration they have given to extending the measures in the youth justice system concerning reduced custody lengths to male offenders aged between 18 and 21.

There is a distinct and separate sentencing framework for children aged 10 to 17 which recognises that children have their own specific needs which require a different approach. The Government currently has no plans to extend this framework to offenders aged over 18.

The Sentencing Council’s overarching and offence-specific guidelines include age and/or lack of maturity as a mitigating factor, as it can affect the offender’s responsibility for the offence and the effect of the sentence on the offender which may justify a reduction in the sentence. Courts must follow any relevant sentencing guidelines, unless it is in the interests of justice not to do so.

The Council is currently consulting to revise the Imposition of community and custodial sentences guideline. Proposals include a new section focused on the effective sentencing of young adult offenders (aged between 18-25 years).

The Ministry of Justice and Her Majesty’s Prisons and Probation Service are committed to developing approaches which respond to young adults’ specific needs relating to their maturity and development, pre-sentence at court as well as while on a custodial or a community sentence.