THE number of child arrests made in North Yorkshire has dropped according to recent figures - which the police force said is "very good news".

The Howard League for Penal Reform issued the latest figures for the arrest of children, or people under 18, today. In North Yorkshire arrests of children have reduced year-on-year since 2010.

The Howard League figures for North Yorkshire show a reduction from 4,525 arrests in 2010, to 905 arrests in 2020.

Detective Superintendent Allan Harder, North Yorkshire Police’s head of safeguarding, said: “The year-on-year reduction in children being arrested is very good news and shows that the measures we have put in place and with our partner agencies are working.

“Criminalising children has a significant impact upon them at the time, later in their adult lives, and for society. For those reasons we and our partner agencies will do everything we can to prevent children and young people from entering the criminal justice system.

“Importantly we all have a part to play in nurturing and supporting our children to ensure they do not find themselves in such a position in the first place.”