David Lammy promises 25% cut in number of children jailed while they await trial

Justice secretary’s white paper will overhaul youth justice rules and could end lifelong criminal records for under-18s David Lammy has promised to cut the number of children kept in jail while they await trial by a quarter as part of an overhaul of youth justice rules that could also end lifelong criminal records for under-18s. The justice secretary is publishing a white paper on Monday that he says will reduce the number of children ending up in jail – something he admits was his greatest fear growing up in Tottenham in the 1980s. Arguing that prison can do lasting damage to children’s lives, Lammy, the deputy prime minister, is promising to reduce the use of custodial remand and short sentences for under-18s. The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) will also consult on fining parents, and even sending them to jail, if they fail to keep their children away from crime. He said: “Growing up in Tottenham in the 1980s, my biggest fear was ending up in prison. That may sound irrational, but in truth it was the fate of so many young Black boys like me. “You saw it happen slowly at first. People missed school, got into petty trouble, started hanging around with the wrong crowd. No one stepped in

May 17, 2026 → May 19, 2026