Police & Courts (young adults)
Currently, when you’re 17, you’re considered and treated as an adult in the criminal system. The consequences are more serious in the adult criminal system than the youth justice system – if you’re found guilty, you’ll get a conviction and a criminal record along with any other sentence given by the judge.
The following sections give you more insight into the adult criminal system which applies to anyone 17 and over, and selected crimes by young people under the age of 17 also.