The Government expects the number of children in custody in England and Wales to more than double by September 2024, according to a new report, while the opening of a new secure school has been delayed by three years.
A report from the National Audit Office (NAO) finds that while the average number of children in custody fell by 73% between 2010-11 and 2020-21, court recovery from the pandemic – alongside the impact of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill, and Government plans to recruit extra police officers – will drive up the number of young people in custody.
