It may sound like the plot of a Dickens novel, but there are children in the UK who are coerced by adults into performing criminal activity every day. In most cases, this involves children being tasked with selling or delivering illegal drugs. In this episode, our hosts are joined by Aika Stephenson, Legal Director of Just for Kids Law, and Dr Grace Robinson, an expert witness in cases involving child criminal exploitation. They discuss the characteristics that typically make children vulnerable to exploitation, how children are coerced into performing illegal activities, and how the justice system responds to such cases.

Aika Stephenson @Justforkidslaw

You can find out more about Aika's work, including a recent briefing exploring the relationship between school exclusions and child criminal exploitation, at www.justforkidslaw.org

Dr Grace Robinson @DrGraceRobinson

You can see some of Grace's recent work, including an article on the impact of Covid-19 on child criminal exploitation, here: https://www.blackboxresearchandconsultancy.com/recent-work

Further Resources

Crest Advisory report, County Lines: Breaking the Cycle bit.ly/CrestReport

Transform Justice

Website: www.transformjustice.org.uk

The Transform Justice podcast is hosted by Penelope Gibbs and Rob Allen and produced and edited by Alexandra Kimmons. With thanks to Burges Salmon LLP for use of their space.