A Commons Justice Committee report says offenders aged between 18 and 25 are 10 times more likely to have a learning disability or autistic disorder. It said a “lack of action” on these offenders had led many to re-offend.
The government said “significant efforts” had been made to prevent young people ending up in prison.
The committee’s report argues there is a strong case for treating young adult offenders differently because their brains are still developing up to the age of 25 – meaning they are more likely to act impulsively and not weigh up the long-term effects.
It also found those still offending into adulthood were more likely to have learning difficulties or communication disorders, or to have suffered head injuries.
It said flawed interventions, set up by the Ministry of Justice and carried out by the National Offender Management Service, did not recognise young adults’ needs and prevented them getting out of a cycle of crime. The number of young adults in the criminal justice system, who are mostly men, has fallen in recent years, but figures suggest 18 to 25-year-olds still account for up to 40% of the criminal caseload.
They also have the highest reconviction rate, with 75% returning to crime within two years of being released. Read more
