ARRESTS of children by Hampshire Police have fallen by 79 per cent in the last six years.

Research by Howard League for Penal Reform released on August 7 states that the force arrested 1,711 children aged 17 and under last year, down from 8,267 in 2010.

Across England and Wales, the total number of arrests has fallen by 64 per cent in six years – from almost 250,000 in 2010 to 87,525 in 2016.

The charity said that the statistics reflect the success of its joint programme with police to keep as many boys and girls as possible out of the criminal justice system.

The total number of child arrests has fallen every year since the league’s campaign began in 2010, and its impact has been felt by every police force in the UK.

Keeping children out of the criminal justice system helps prevent crime. Academic research has shown that the more contact a child has with the system, the more entrenched they are likely to become, which increases reoffending rates.

Howard League chief executive Frances Crook said: “For the sixth year running, we have seen a significant reduction in child arrests across the country. This is a tremendous achievement, and we will continue to support police forces to develop their good practice and reduce the number to an absolute minimum.

“Hampshire Police should be applauded and the Howard League is proud to have played its part in a transformation that will make our communities safer.

“By working together, we are ensuring that tens of thousands of children wil not be dragged into a downward spiral of crime.”