Share this content
Introduction
Racial disproportionality within the Youth Justice System (YJS) has been a longstanding concern. This issue was emphasised in David Lammy’s 2017 review for the UK government, which examined the treatment of minoritised groups within the criminal justice system. Lammy identified the YJS as the “biggest concern,” noting that disparities had significantly worsened over time. Since 2013, the number of children receiving a caution or sentence has decreased by 72%. In England and Wales, this reduction can be partially attributed to the increased use of diversionary measures, designed to steer children away from the YJS. However, the benefits of this decrease have been disproportionately felt by White children, rather than minoritised children. For instance, in 2012, 32% of children in custody were from minority backgrounds; by 2022, this figure had risen to 52%. Black children, in particular, continue to be disproportionately represented, making up 11% of all children cautioned or sentenced, despite comprising only 6% of the 10 to 17-year-old population in England and Wales. Minoritised children often face harsher penalties than their White peers, even when they have committed the same offences. Disproportionality within the system intensifies as youth justice interventions become more severe. For example, Black children account for 12% of proven offences, 14% of convictions, and 20% of custodial sentences. These patterns highlight enduring structural inequities and differential treatment, raising critical questions about fairness, legitimacy, and the effectiveness of diversionary approaches in addressing racial disparities within youth justice.
We would therefore invite contributions from practitioners, policy makers and academics that explore the challenge of racial disparities at the gateway to youth justice systems nationally and internationally.
'These patterns highlight enduring structural inequities and differential treatment, raising critical questions about fairness, legitimacy, and the effectiveness of diversionary approaches in addressing racial disparities within youth justice.
List of Topic Areas
- Diversion from youth justice systems
- Racial disparities in decision making at the gateway to youth justice systems
- Children’s perceptions and experiences on their pathways into diversion and youth justice systems.
- Specific focuses on the perceptions and experiences of ethnically diverse children of their pathways into and during youth justice diversion
- Professionals' perceptions of diversion generally and racial disparities in diversion
- Examples of good practice/ case studies to reduce racial disparities in diversion
- The role of volunteer community social enterprise (VCSE) organisations in diversionary practice.
- Participatory approaches to empowering young people to influence diversion schemes.
- Conceptual and theoretical contributions for applying Child First, intersectional, or critical race frameworks to understand disproportionality in diversion.
- The role of volunteer community social enterprise (VCSE) organisations in diversionary practice.
- Participatory approaches to empowering young people to influence diversion schemes.
- Conceptual and theoretical contributions for applying Child First, intersectional, or critical race frameworks to understand disproportionality in diversion.
Submissions Information
Submissions are made using ScholarOne Manuscripts. Registration and access are available here: https://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/safcom
Author guidelines must be strictly followed. Please see here: https://www.emeraldgrouppublishing.com/journal/sc
Authors should select (from the drop-down menu) the special issue title at the appropriate step in the submission process, i.e. in response to ““Please select the issue you are submitting to”.
Submitted articles must not have been previously published, nor should they be under consideration for publication anywhere else, while under review for this journal.
Key Deadlines
Opening date for manuscripts submissions– 25/1/26
Closing date for manuscripts submission – 31/5/26
Guest Editors
Dr Anne-Marie Day, Manchester Metropolitan University, Anne-Marie.Day@mmu.ac.uk
Dr Isabelle Brodie, The Tavistock Centre, ibrodie@tavi-port.ac.uk
Mr Joseph Kiff, University of Bedfordshire, joe.kiff@beds.ac.uk
Share this content