Include Youth, along with VOYPIC presented evidence to the NI Assembly Justice Committee calling for key changes to ensure the Justice Bill delivers for children and young people.
Include Youth priorities include calling for an amendment to the Bill to address the low age of criminal responsibility which is 10 years of age, one of the lowest in the world and in contravention of international children’s rights standards.
Another priority relates to bail, remand and custody of children. We have long called for custody only being used as a measure of last resort and for the shortest time possible, yet we still see children being detained in custody because of a lack of accommodation and the failure of Trusts to provide an address. Children with experience of the care system are disproportionately represented in the justice system, and particularly within custody. No child should be deprived of their liberty because of failings in our health and social care and housing systems. Our young people said ‘custody should never be used as a substitute for proper care, housing or support’.
We also called for changes to proposals in the Bill on retention of biometric data to ensure that children’s data is not held unnecessarily, especially when there has been no conviction or in the case of a diversionary disposal . Children should be treated differently all attempts should be made to prevent stigmatisation.
Bringing children into even the edges of the justice system can do more harm than good.
We cannot arrest our way out of a broken system which is failing to support vulnerable and traumatised children with complex needs.
A low age of criminal responsibility that seeks a criminal justice solution to welfare issues, poverty and adverse childhood experiences, simply accelerates already vulnerable children further into the system and ultimately custody.
A more effective approach will lead to better outcomes for children and families and safer communities for all.
This Bill provides an opportunity to address the failings in our current system and to bring youth justice in line with international children’s rights standards. But without the necessary amendments we will continue to see young children criminalised unnecessarily and we will miss an opportunity to protect our most vulnerable children from entering the justice system.
Pictured Dr Paula Rodgers, Include Youth Policy Manager and Alicia Toal, CEO VOYPIC
