Is maturity considered in the magistrate's court?

23 May 2024

Our sons and daughters: Is maturity considered in the magistrate’s court?

Courts and sentencing, Young adults

Open report

This report examines whether maturity is taken into account during court hearings based on the observations of almost 200 hearings involving a young adult defendant.

Publisher: Transform Justice
Authors: Fionnuala Ratcliffe, Penelope Gibbs

Criminal Justice, young adults

Behind the decline

This Centre for Crime and Justice Studies report looks at the shrinking young adult population within the criminal justice system who are experiencing increasingly harsher treatment.

May 2026

Reimagining justice for children and young adults

April 2026

Joint Enterprise: A view over time

The report looks at two decades of data on joint enterprise, finding a disproportionate impact on young adults and persistent racial disparities.