What the UK public thinks about children in the justice system: national polling 2026
The report, produced by the Co-op Foundation in partnership with Alliance for Youth Justice and Transform Justice, presents findings from a survey of 3,019 UK adults conducted by More in Common in January 2026. It explores public attitudes towards children who come into contact with the criminal justice system, the use of custody, and community sentencing.
Details
The report found strong public support for rehabilitation and community sentences over the imprisonment of children. Notably, victims of crime largely shared these views, with their responses tracking closely to those of the general public across almost every finding.
A majority of respondents (58%) believed children commit offences primarily because of external factors, including unstable family life, exposure to violence and social media, rather than inherent character.
The polling also identified concerns about the use of custody for children. Most believe prison should still be used for the most serious violent crimes; however, 53% of victims of crime believe prison should either never be used or only used occasionally for children. Many considered imprisonment harmful and likely to increase reoffending; their concerns included the impact of custody on mental health, exposure to abuse and long-term barriers to employment.
52% of respondents also believe that remanding children is wrong. This is significant given half of children in custody are on remand, and two thirds of those will ultimately be acquitted or receive a non-custodial sentence. Support for rehabilitation over punishment was a consistent theme. When asked whether the justice system should prioritise punishment or rehabilitation, respondents (including victims of crime) favoured rehabilitation. Even among those who supported custody in some circumstances, rehabilitation was viewed as the primary purpose.
There was also substantial support for: use of community sentences for children (70% of respondents), raising the age of criminal responsibility above 10 years old in England, Wales and Northern Ireland (65% of respondents believe it should be higher and 21% believe it should be 16 or older), and limiting the perpetual disclosure of childhood criminal records.
Commentary
These findings are significant for youth justice practitioners as the report provides evidence to counter the assumption that the public favours punitive responses to children who offend. The strong public support for rehabilitation, including among victims of crime, is particularly noteworthy as it undermines the argument that punitive sentences are necessary to satisfy victims. The cost data reinforces this further: at £120,085 per year for a YOI place compared to approximately £7,000 for a community sentence, and with reoffending rates of 60% versus 30% respectively, the case for community-based alternatives is compelling on both financial and rehabilitative grounds. Practitioners making submissions to courts, particularly in respect of sentencing, may find the data useful in supporting arguments for community-based alternatives to custody.