Juvenile detention centers criticised by Human Rights Commission

The Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission has published a report which criticises the standard of care provided in juvenile detention facilities across the province.

The report, which is the product of 20 months work, suggests mental health services for children in custody are seriously inadequate and that children in custody are not getting the level of health and educational services they are entitled to. It recommends that the government urgently produce a strategy to reduce the number of children on remand.

Chief Commissioner Brice Dickson and Professor Jaap Doek, Chair of the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child launched the investigative report in Belfast on Thursday March 7.

When research for the report began in May 2000, three juvenile holding centers were in operation in the province – Rathgael, situated near Bangor which accommodates boys and girls; Lisnevin, in Millisle, a secure centre built on the model of a Grade C prison, and St Patrick’s in west Belfast which closed in November 2000.

Instead, Northern Ireland is to see one, new-build juvenile justice centre on the Rathgael site, housing both boys and girls. In the interim Lisnevin is to close and young people are to be detained in updated accommodation in Rathgael. This rationalisation will result in a decrease in the capacity of the system from 110 places to 40 places.

Two years ago the Criminal Justice Review recommended that Lisnevin close. Mr Dickson commented: “Our investigation found that Lisnevin’s main use is as a holding centre, rather than a place of rehabilitation.”

Brice Dickson added: “New legislation and the development of new custodial accommodation for children present a tremendous challenge. Human rights provide a framework for addressing this challenge.”

(AMcE)