Sir, We are disappointed that the Government’s new Justice Bill includes nothing to directly address the needs of young adults. Just 10 per cent of the population is made up of 18 to 24-year-olds, yet they account for a third of those sentenced to prison each year, a third of the probation service caseload and a third of the total economic and social costs of crime. Half reoffend within a year of release from prison.
The transition to adulthood is a critical period for those on the edge of, or within, the criminal justice system. Most offenders will grow out of crime if they are given the right support, while the wrong intervention at this time can trigger a criminal career. Short prison sentences are both expensive and ineffective; breaking the cycle of reoffending requires systemic reform, tailored to the specific needs and risks of young adults.
Dame Anne Owers
Chair, Transition to Adulthood Alliance