What’s changed five years after the landmark Lammy Review?

Chair of the T2A Alliance Leroy Logan MBE reflects on the lack of progress on the Lammy Review recommendations and what this means for young Black and minority ethnic adults.

Last week, the Prison Reform Trust published an update on the progress of the Lammy Review’s prison recommendations. Commenting, Peter Dawson, director of the Prison Reform Trust said:

“More than five years on since David Lammy’s review revealed the shocking extent of racial disproportionality in our criminal justice system, our report shows that many of the issues he identified remain stubbornly persistent.”

Of course, I welcome the transparency that this analysis brings. However, as someone who has worked tirelessly throughout my career to create a fairer criminal justice system, I am bitterly disappointed by the government’s lack of progress on its commitments.

In his 2018 Perrie Lecture, David Lammy said:

“You cannot be in the criminal justice business and not be in the race business.”

And one cannot support children and young adults in the criminal justice system without being uncomfortably aware of the deep-seated racial disparities that exist. According to the Ministry of Justice’s statistics, over 40% of 18-24 year olds in custody are young Black and minority ethnic adults.