The Youth Justice White Paper sets out a landmark blueprint for earlier intervention, more targeted support and tackling the root causes of youth crime. Key figures show eight out of ten prolific offenders committed their first crime as a child, while two-thirds of those released from custody reoffend within a year. Key measures include:

A commitment to end unnecessary custodial remand for children, slashing its use by 25% this Parliament, backed by £5 million for community alternatives, and widening the range of tough community sentences which, combined with remand reforms, could reduce the youth custodial population by 20%.

The government has opened the door to raising the age of criminal responsibility, committing to carefully consider the findings of a Bar Council review currently under way. England and Wales currently have one of the lowest ages of criminal responsibility in Europe, with most comparable countries setting the threshold at 12, 14 or higher.

New youth intervention courts to tackle repeat offenders, a consultation on childhood criminal records reform by the end of the year, and tougher accountability for parents and carers when children offend.

Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy said: “These reforms lay the foundation to intervene far earlier, support families, and tackle the drivers of offending so fewer young people become trapped in cycles of crime, creating safer streets and fewer victims.”