webpicARRESTS of girls by Derbyshire Police have fallen by 34 per cent in three years, figures obtained by the Howard League for Penal Reform have shown.
Derbyshire officers made 700 arrests of girls aged 17 and younger during 2011 – a significant drop compared to 2008, when 1,058 arrests were recorded.
It comes after the Howard League launched a campaign aimed at keeping as many children as possible out of the criminal justice system.
Across England and Wales, police arrest almost 100 girls a day, although the overall number has almost halved in three years.
Police recorded more than 34,000 arrests in 2011, compared with more than 62,000 in 2008.
Several police services in England and Wales have reviewed their arrest procedures and policies as a result of the Howard League’s work with them.
Frances Crook, chief executive of the Howard League for Penal Reform, said: “It is encouraging to see that Derbyshire Police are making fewer arrests of girls than they were in 2008, thanks in part to our effective campaigning.
“A significant fall in the number of children entering the justice system is good news for everyone striving to reduce crime and saves the taxpayer untold millions.”
As the Mail went to press, figures from Staffordshire Police were unable to be obtained.
