Resources launch to tackle racism in the youth justice system
Source: gov.uk (2025-01-20)

Anti-racism resources released as part of a YJB-funded initiative have launched to raise awareness of adultification in the youth justice system.

Resources aimed at reducing the over-representation of Black and Mixed heritage children in the youth justice system have been released as part of a YJB-funded initiative.

A ground-breaking animation and deep-dive podcast shine a light on adultification bias – the harmful practice of perceiving and treating certain children as adults, particularly Black and Mixed heritage children. The content has been commissioned as part of the London Accommodation Resettlement Partnership which receives funding through the Youth Justice Board.

The adultification animation has been written and narrated by Jahnine Davis (https://www.gov.uk/government/people/jahnine-davis), director and co-founder of Listen Up (https://listenupresearch.org/) , an organisation established to amplify lesser heard voices in child safeguarding practice, policy and research.

The animation is designed to raise awareness and deepen understanding of adultification bias among professionals working in the youth justice system.

Adultification bias denies the childhood experiences and vulnerabilities of certain children, often leading to their behaviours being judged as more mature or intentional than they are.

Jahnine’s expertise and extensive research has been translated into engaging visuals and compelling audio, to enable professionals to identify adultification in their own thinking and behaviour, fostering better practices that ultimately lead to more positive outcomes for children.

Watch the animation to help challenge systemic bias and create a fairer youth justice system for all children.

Constructive Resettlement - Adultification Animation (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ojRgBNcNO1c)

To support the animation launch, a podcast has also launched, airing an insightful discussion between Jahnine and Stephanie Roberts-Bibby, Chief Executive of the Youth Justice Board. You can listen to the podcast on the Constructive Resettlement website (https://constructive-resettlement.co.uk/resources/).

The podcast discusses some of the drivers and repercussions of adultification bias and what this means for children who fall victim to the harmful practice when entering the justice system.

Exploring adultification in the youth justice system podcast (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-FXC1XTuhY)

These crucial materials are being packaged with resources from the YJB and shared widely across youth justice agencies to support training of youth justice professionals, raise awareness of the issue of adultification, and provide tools that can design out the practice from the youth justice system.

YJB statistics show that Black and Mixed heritage children are over-represented in all areas of youth justice. It is one of the YJB’s strategic objectives to reduce persistent racial disparities in the youth justice system.

The YJB’s Chief Executive, Stephanie Roberts Bibby says:

Adultification bias is a manifestation of racism. The unique needs of children—such as developmental and emotional factors— cannot be overlooked or dismissed. It is our goal to eradicate this from the youth justice system and this animation is another critical step forward towards this.

Our research shows, Black and Mixed Heritage boys are frequently subjected to ‘adultification bias’, causing them to be viewed as older, less innocent, and more responsible for their actions than children of other ethnicities. This can result in harsher treatment and outcomes within the justice system.

Understanding and addressing adultification is a crucial step in tackling racial disparities. By challenging these deeply ingrained biases, we can move closer to creating a fairer and more equitable system for all children, which will reduce offending and lead to fewer victims and safer communities.

Jahnine Davis, director and co-founder of ListenUp, says:

These resources highlight the challenges that Black and minoritised young people can face within the youth justice system and other services. The animation addresses adultification and its harmful effects on these groups of children by explaining how interpretations, assumptions, and biases can influence how professionals and services interact with them.

I urge everyone to engage with the resources for learning and reflection, and to ensure that they are adopting a child-first approach by understanding more about adultification and the challenges it can create for children in the youth justice system. We must remember that all children are inherently vulnerable, and assumptions, particularly related to racial stereotypes, should not lead our thinking or interventions.

Keith Fraser, Chair of the YJB Board, says:

Public awareness of adultification is essential to supporting policies and practices that reduce racial disparities and promote fairness in the youth justice system. By encouraging better awareness and understanding, resources such as this animation will help to prevent the over-representation of Black and Mixed Heritage children in the youth justice system, ultimately leading to more positive outcomes.

This animation serves as an important tool to complement training and induction materials for professionals across policing, courts, youth justice, education, health, and other key sectors, and we will be writing to our partners across the sector to ask them to include this in their training and inductions for new and existing professionals in their sectors.

Both the animation and podcast have been produced by Starbots Creative (https://starbots-creative.co.uk/).

YJB Annual Statistics 2022-2023

Black children account for 6% of all children aged between 10 and 17-years-old, and yet our most recent annual statistics tell us:

Black children account for 26% of the youth custody population.

A third of children on remand in youth custody are Black children (33%), with almost two thirds of children on remand receiving a non-custodial sentence.

Black children account for 11% of all children cautioned or sentenced.

The number of Mixed Heritage children increased by 12% compared with the previous year.

Mixed Heritage children accounted for 16% of those remanded in youth custody in the latest year, which is a slight increase on the previous year and five percentage points higher than 10 years ago (11%)

The proportion of Mixed Heritage children in custody has increased the most out of all ethnicities, from 9% to 15% over the last 10 years.

The next annual statistics are planned for release on 30 January 2025.

About the Youth Justice Board

The Youth Justice Board for England and Wales (YJB) is the only organisation to have complete oversight of the entire youth justice system. The YJB works to ensure that all children receive fair treatment and that interventions are designed to help prevent reoffending. The YJB’s vision is for a youth justice system that sees children as children, treats them fairly and helps them to build on their strengths so they can make a constructive contribution to society. This will prevent offending and create safer communities with fewer victims.

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