Children as young as ten have been arrested for crimes including rape, burglary and assault in Nottinghamshire – but figures show youth detentions have fallen overall in the last five years.
While there were 2,319 arrests of children in Nottinghamshire in 2013, the annual total has more than halved compared to 2010, when 5,743 under-16’s were arrested.
The statistics were obtained by the Howard League for Penal Reform, which is campaigning for a reduction in the number of children who are formally arrested.
And other Notts Police figures from 2014, show the most common types of crime children in Notts are arrested for are assault, burglary and criminal damage.
The information also showed 103 minors have been arrested for rape offences since 2011, with two of these arrests involving children aged between 10 and 12.
Frances Cook, chief executive of the Howard League for Penal Reform said: “We have worked closely with police forces round the country to stem the flow of children being sucked into the criminal justice system.
“The fantastic success of our programme of work and the police improvement to their practices means that thousands of children have not had their life chances blighted.”
Notts TV News has contacted Notts Police for a comment.
