Youth justice in England and Wales

In England and Wales, criminal law is delivered through two distinct systems: the adult and youth justice systems. The youth justice system was set up to prevent and control crime, anti-social behaviour and offences carried out by individuals under the age of 17 (with some exceptions extending to 18). It is overseen by the Youth Justice Board, which is an executive public body funded by the Ministry of Justice and set up under the Crime and Disorder Act 1998. Its purposes are set out in section 41 of that Act.

The youth justice system of England and Wales is regulated by the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 and the Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999, and is separate from the one in Northern Ireland and Scotland. In Northern Ireland, the youth justice system is regulated by the Justice Northern Ireland Act 2002. In Scotland, it is regulated by the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 2016 .