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<p>In October 2013 the Government made changes to the Police and Criminal Evidence
Act 1984 (PACE) Codes of Practice C and H to require the police, as a matter of course,
to provide 17 year olds with appropriate adult support and to inform a person responsible
for their welfare of their detention. This made the position for 17 year olds consistent
with that of 10 to 16 year olds. <br><br>The Government is committed to ensuring that
young people are protected and treated appropriately while in police custody. Subsequent
to making the changes in PACE Codes of Practice C and H, the Government launched an
internal review into the outstanding primary provisions in PACE that continue to treat
17 year olds as adults. The Home Office has agreed PACE needs to be amended so that
there is consistency in all the provisions that relate to the treatment of 17 year
olds, thereby ensuring that they are treated as children.<br><br>The Third Reading
of the Criminal Justice and Courts Bill on 10 November presented the Government with
an opportunity to make a partial change to the current provisions in PACE, specifically
in respect to Part IV of PACE, relating to police detention. By amending the definition
of ‘arrested juvenile’ in section 37(15) from ‘under the age of 17’ to ‘under the
age of 18’, it will require the police to transfer 17 year olds to local accommodation
following charge and the refusal of bail. The effect of this amendment will be <br>reflected
in future guidance and training. This will make it is absolutely clear to practitioners
and the public that 17 year olds will be treated as children by the police under Part
IV of PACE. It will ensure that the police transfer 17 year olds to local authority
accommodation overnight in circumstances where they have been denied bail.</p><p>
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