Compensation will be paid after errors in the New South Wales police database led to the wrongful arrest of more than 100 young people.

The Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC) took up the cause of the wrongfully arrested children and juveniles after it became aware that inaccurate and out of date information on the NSW Police computer system - known as COPS (Computer Operational Policing System) – led to their arrests.

The claimants, many of whom were imprisoned and strip-searched, have been given until October 9 to register for a $1.85 million compensation package, following a Supreme Court ruling this week.

PIAC chief executive, Edward Santow, said the arrests would have lasting effects on the youngsters.

“One of the most serious things we can do as a society is to detain someone, and so we must only do that as a last resort,” he told ABC reporters.

“When this occurs without any lawful justification, it's a very, very serious matter.

“One of our 14-year-old clients was arrested, handcuffed and strip-searched on three separate occasions over a two-week period. He was held in custody overnight each time.”

He said he had not been assured that it would not happen again.

“The problem is that there are no guarantees yet. So we're calling on the NSW Government to ensure that the IT system that the police rely on is absolutely watertight,” he said.