Girl Crime Figures a "Statistical Illusion" Reflecting Readiness to Report Minor Offences

Commenting on the Youth Justice Board report on offending by girls, Paul Cavadino, Chief Executive of Nacro, the crime reduction charity, said:

"Social changes, including more alcohol use by girls, have contributed to more offending by girls. However, much of the recorded 25 per cent rise is a statistical illusion reflecting a greater readiness to report minor offences to the police.

"Today's figures demonstrate the pointlessness of this country's expensive over use of custody for young offenders.

“In contrast, the success rates of prevention measures such as youth inclusion programmes are encouraging. We could be much more effective in cutting youth crime if we switched resources away from custodial measures and invested heavily in preventive work with young people at risk of offending."

ENDS

Notes to editors

In April 2008 Nacro released a report ‘Some facts about children and young people who offend’ which concluded that police targets to bring more offences to justice are criminalising increasing numbers of children for lower level offences in order to satisfy the target.

The report found disproportionate rises in low-level offending, younger children committing offences and girls committing offences.

For more information see http://www.nacro.org.uk/templates/news/newsItem.cfm/2008040300.htm