In his speech today to the Youth Justice Board convention, Shadow Justice Minister Dan Jarvis says the remit of the Youth Justice Board should be extended to cover offenders up to 20-years-old. Mr Jarvis (pictured) has previously visited T2A Pathway projects in Rotherham and Barnsley. 

In the Q&A following a speech at the thinktank, CentreForum, yesterday, Justice Minister, Simon Hughes MP, said that the Liberal Democrats would do the same.

In his speech Dan Jarvis said:

We also need a specific approach for young people. There is currently no distinct plan for young adults – even though the peak age of offending is 19 and offenders in their early 20s are among the most prolific. 

Currently the youth justice system provides mentoring and support up until the age of 18, but this then falls off a cliff when a young person enters into the next age bracket. 

Sadiq Khan and I are committed to changing this. 

So if elected in six months’ time, the next Labour government will explore how we can expand the remit of the Youth Justice Board and Youth Offending Teams to cover 18, 19 and 20 year olds. 

We will look at ending the sudden break at the age of 18, and give young adults access to the same multi-agency support that has already proved so successful with younger age groups. 

The most serious crimes will always need a custodial sentence. But if we achieve just a fraction of the success our Youth Offending Teams have achieved in recent years, it could help lead to fewer criminal offences, smaller prison numbers, fewer victims of crime, greater public safety and savings for the public purse. 

It’s an idea I want to see succeed. 

It’s smart, pragmatic, evidence-based and builds on the foundations of already successful policies”

Dan Jarvis is the Labour MP for Barnsley Central and the Shadow Justice Minister with responsibility for Youth Justice