Wales justice reports focus on youth and anti-racism

If you hear “annual report” and think “admin paperwork”, this is the bit to slow down for. On 5 October 2026, the Criminal Justice Board for Wales published its Annual Report and Anti-Racism Report, and Youth Justice Board chair Phil Bowen welcomed both as signs that Wales is trying to build a fairer justice system through joined-up work rather than isolated fixes. (gov.uk) Bowen’s response matters because he links several issues that are often reported separately: reoffending, victim safety, prevention, early help and anti-racism. In his view, you do not improve youth justice by treating those as separate boxes; you improve it by paying attention to how they shape one another. (gov.uk)

To understand why that matters, you need the Wales context first. Criminal justice in Wales is split between governments: policing, prosecution, courts, prisons and probation are controlled by the UK Government, while health, housing, education and local government are devolved to the Welsh Government. The Criminal Justice Board for Wales exists to bring those worlds together when problems cut across them. (gov.uk) **What this means:** when officials talk about “partnership working”, they are not just padding out a press release. A child at risk of entering the justice system may also need support from school, mental health services, housing teams and youth services, so one agency on its own will never be enough. (gov.uk)

The Annual Report covers the period from 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026. It says the board spent the year focused on four main areas: victims and witnesses, people who have offended, early intervention and prevention, and anti-racism. Across all four, it also considered the experiences of children and young people. (gov.uk) That last point is easy to miss, but it is one of the most important. The board’s own learning says children and young people need greater visibility in justice discussions, and its priorities for 2026 to 2028 now include a clear strand on children, young people and youth justice, including prevention, diversion and the move between youth and adult services. (gov.uk)

The report also shows how prevention is being framed in practice. During 2025 to 2026, work continued on trauma-informed approaches across courts, prisons, probation, police forces and Police and Crime Commissioner offices, with support from Public Health Wales. The board says this is about recognising how trauma, vulnerability and adverse childhood experiences can affect justice outcomes. (gov.uk) For readers trying to decode the policy language, the plain-English version is this: if the system notices harm early and responds properly, fewer people are pulled deeper into it later. The board gave particular attention to children and young people, and to prevention and diversion work that can reduce future contact with the justice system. (gov.uk)

The Anti-Racism Report sits beside the Annual Report for a reason. The Criminal Justice Anti-Racism Action Plan for Wales was launched in November 2022, and this year’s update says progress has centred on community engagement, disproportionality data, workforce diversity, training and independent oversight. It also includes a data appendix so race-related figures can be expanded year by year and tracked openly. (gov.uk) That matters because anti-racism is not presented here as a side project or a one-off training session. According to the official report, justice leaders met communities across Wales, supported an All-Wales Gypsy Roma Traveller Group, reviewed hate crime provision, and continued work to make the workforce more representative. The report also says progress can be slow and is not always felt by racially minoritised people, which is an important admission in an official document. (gov.uk)

For youth justice, the sharpest thread running through both reports is racial disparity. The Anti-Racism Report says Youth Justice Board Cymru hosted a meeting in summer 2025 with Welsh Youth Justice Services to examine evidence of racial disparity in youth justice, after which Youth Offending Managers across Wales committed to looking at the issue in their own areas. Bowen added that the YJB is gathering local data, offering practical support and working through youth justice plans, and he welcomed a disproportionality steering group set up by heads of service. (gov.uk) **What this means:** if you want to know whether official promises are serious, follow the data and follow who gets heard. These reports suggest Wales is trying to do both - by publishing more evidence, by listening to lived experience, and by pushing youth justice services to turn concern about unequal outcomes into local action. (gov.uk)

The wider lesson here is that these reports are not only about courts or crime. They are about what happens before harm grows, how victims are treated, and whether children - especially children facing racial bias - are seen early enough to be helped rather than simply processed. That is why Bowen’s response placed prevention, fairness and lived experience in the same frame. (gov.uk) If you are reading this as a student, teacher or someone trying to make sense of public institutions, the useful question is not just whether a report has been published. It is what changes because of it. The Criminal Justice Board for Wales says its next phase will keep youth justice, anti-racism, data and community voice in view. The real test now is whether children, victims and communities in Wales can actually feel that change. (gov.uk)