Black children arrested in London ‘15% more likely to be criminalised’ than white children

Report finds black offenders less likely to receive mentoring to help them avoid getting criminal record at early age

Black children detained by police are 15% more likely to be “criminalised”, that is charged and put into the criminal justice system, than white children detained for similar types of offences, a study has found.

The report by the Youth Endowment Fund (YEF), which tackles youth violence, found that black children were 14.8% less likely to be offered diversion, which can include mentoring or counselling, that usually results in them avoiding getting a criminal record at an early age.