Big change in number of children arrested in Lancashire

Arrests of children in Lancashire have been reduced by 81 per cent in eight years.

Lancashire Police made 1,826 arrests of boys and girls aged 17 and under in 2018, this compares to 1,893 in the previous year and 9,779 back in 2010.

The figures for Lancashire are in line with the national trend. Data from more than 40 police forces show that they made 70,078 arrests of children in 2018 – a reduction of more than 70 per cent from almost 250,000 in 2010.

Across England and Wales, the total number of child arrests has been reduced every year since the campaign began. Over the same period, the number of children in prison has been reduced by 63 per cent.

Arrests of primary school-age children have been reduced significantly. There were 383 arrests of 10 and 11-year-olds in 2018, a reduction of 38 per cent from the previous year.

Howard League for Penal Reform has been working with police forces across England and Wales to keep as many children as possible out of the system

Frances Crook, chief executive of the Howard League for Penal Reform, said: “Tens of thousands of children can look forward to a brighter future without their lives being blighted by police contact and a criminal record.

“Lancashire Police and other forces up and down the country have diverted resources to tackling serious crime instead of arresting naughty children. This will make communities safer, and the Howard League is proud to have played its part.

“Building on this success and reducing the number of arrests still further would allow even more children to thrive.”

The largest police force in the country, the Metropolitan Police, made 13,791 arrests of children in 2018. This was a 22 per cent reduction on the previous year, when 17,672 arrests were made, and a 70 per cent reduction on 2010, when there were 46,079.