Arrests of children down to just over 1,000 in fresh report

ARRESTS of children by Staffordshire Police have been reduced by 74 per cent in the last seven years - figures published by the Howard League for Penal Reform revealed on Monday.

Research by the charity has found that the police force made 1,081 arrests of children aged 17 and under last year, down from 4,163 in 2010.

Across England and Wales, the total number of child arrests has been reduced by 68 per cent – from almost 250,000 in 2010 to 79,012 last year.

The statistics, compiled from responses to Freedom of Information requests, show the continued success of a major Howard League programme, which involves working with police forces to keep as many boys and girls as possible out of the criminal justice system.

The total number of arrests has been reduced every year since the Howard League campaign began in 2010, and the impact can be seen in every police force area in the country.

Arrests of primary schoolage children have also been reduced.