CAMPAIGNERS have praised police in Dorset for their work after it was revealed fewer children are being arrested.

Figures from the Howard League for Penal Reform reveal that arrests of children locally have been reduced by a whopping 80 per cent in the last seven years.

Research by the charity found that Dorset Police made 459 arrests of children aged 17 and under last year. This is slightly more than the number recorded in 2016 – but well down from the 2,310 recorded in 2010.

This was the same year when the Howard League began a campaign to keep children out of the criminal justice system.

Research shows the more contact a child has with the system, the more entrenched they are likely to become, which increases offending rates.

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 were obtained from Freedom of Information requests.

The charity’s research briefing, Child arrests in England and Wales 2017, explores some of the changes that police forces have made to reduce arrest numbers, while also shining new light on areas where further progress can be achieved.

This includes identifying the criminalisation of children in residential care and the criminalisation of children who are being exploited by county lines gangs.

The number of children in prison in England and Wales reduced by more than 60 per cent between 2010 and 2017.

Frances Crook, Chief Executive of the Howard League for Penal Reform, said: “This is the seventh year in a row that we have seen a significant reduction in the number of child arrests across England and Wales, and Dorset Police’s positive approach has contributed to that transformation.

“It is a phenomenal achievement by the police and the Howard League, and it means that thousands of children will have a brighter future without their life chances being blighted by unnecessary police contact and criminal records.

“We have come a long way, but there is still more work to do. The Howard League has launched a programme to end the criminalisation of children in residential care, and our research also highlights the need for better understanding of child criminal exploitation. Children who have been trafficked to commit crime should be seen as victims first and foremost.”

In a response from Dorset Police today, Detective Chief Superintendent Mark Cooper, head of Crime and Criminal Justice, said: “Dorset Police has made huge strides in reducing the numbers of children coming into custody and it is reassuring to see the child arrest rates have reduced significantly since 2010. 

“Many children are now diverted from custody to voluntary attendance, which in most circumstances is the most appropriate arena to interview a child. This is in line with the national children centred policing action plan led by Chief Constable Olivia Pinkney.

“The reduction in arrests does not mean that we are not dealing with these young people’s offending behaviour, and together with Dorset Combined Youth Offending Service we have managed many Restorative Justice Conferences in Dorset where young offenders met with the victims of their crimes and were held personally to account for their actions.

“We continue to monitor and evaluate our approach to dealing with young offenders. We recognise that many of these offenders are potentially vulnerable and the Youth Offending Teams and partners are involved right from the outset, with extensive background checks being made to ensure that the appropriate support is given to vulnerable offenders.

“Dorset Police and Dorset Combined Youth Offending Service are very proud of the reductions we have achieved in the numbers of children and young people being brought into custody. For some young offenders it will remain entirely appropriate to arrest them, but where we can address young people’s offending without bringing them into custody we will.”