Youth Justice System announce high records of young people in custody

A crisis is facing children and young people in custody, as the numbers of under 18s held in secure accommodation in England and Wales reaches a record high.

The stark warning, from Youth Justice Board Chairman, Rod Morgan, HM Chief Inspector of Prisons, Anne Owers, and Children’s Commissioner, Professor Sir Albert Aynsley-Green, came during a visit to Feltham Young Offender Institution in west London.

Rod Morgan commented: "Over 3,350 children and young people are being held today in custody. The youth justice system has just a handful of bed spaces left.

"We can’t simply put up a sign saying ‘No Vacancies’. Action is urgently needed to stop custody for young people going into meltdown.”

While praising the excellent work undertaken at Feltham in difficult circumstances, Morgan, Owers and Aynsley-Green called for an honest debate into alternative ways to deal with young offenders who commit low level and less serious crimes.

Anne Owers said: “Every time I go into a custodial establishment, I see staff achieving amazing things in difficult circumstances with highly troubled young people. But I fear the system is approaching breaking point. And I am particularly concerned about the number of young people with mental illness who end up in our prisons because of the lack of adequate provision outside.”

The Youth Justice Board said the rise in the custodial population was causing a range of serious problems, including an increased risk of self-harm and suicide by young people in custody.

Concerns were also raised about the movement of young inmates between areas of the UK, which makes it difficult for family contact to be maintained.

The organisation stated dozens of children and youths from London were being held in facilities in South Yorkshire and the Scottish borders, contravening rules that young offenders should not be held 50 miles from home.

The Home Office said the use of custody for people under the age of 18 was a last resort. It added that of the 190,000 young people dealt by police every year, only 4% were given custodial sentences.

A spokeswoman said: "Public protection is our priority and we support tough sentences for those judged to be a danger to the public."

(DS)