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Home Office

Answer

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many children were sent to (a) prison and (b) young offender institutions in each of the last five years; how many children were (i) in prison and (ii) young offender institutions on the latest date for which figures are available; what representations he has received about children in prisons and young offender institutions; what his response has been; what plans he has to (A) reduce the number of children in prison and young offender institutions overall and (B) implement a policy where no children are held in prisons and young offender institutions; what arrangements he is considering to improve their (1) safety and well-being and (2) education of such children; and if he will make a statement. [169144] Paul Goggins: Children who are sent from court to Prison Service accommodation are--save in exceptional circumstances and on a case-by-case basis--placed within the Service's juvenile estate, as commissioned and purchased by the Youth Justice Board. Children who have been remanded in custody are received under the Prison Rules 1999, while sentenced children are received under the Young Offender Institution Rules 2000. In 2003, there were 4,918 children under sentence in Prison Service establishments in England and Wales. Figures for the preceding four years can be found in table 3.10 of the publication `Prison Statistics England and Wales', a copy of which is available in the House of Commons Library (total receptions cannot be calculated by adding together receptions in each category because there is double counting). On 30 November 2003, 485 remanded children and 1,769 sentenced children were held in Prison Service accommodation. The Home Secretary receives a variety of representations from a range of bodies and individuals on children in prison service accommodation. The Youth Justice Board has had responsibility, since April 2000, for commissioning and purchasing all secure accommodation for juveniles (those under 18) sentenced to custody, including Prison Service accommodation. The Board takes the view that custodial provision has an important place in the criminal justice system for young people, but believes that with the provision of robust and highly intensive new community sentencing alternatives, such as the Intensive Supervision and Surveillance Programme (ISSP), it is possible and desirable to reduce the use of custody and ensure that it is used only for those who clearly need it. The Board aims to reduce custody for children by 10 per cent. over the next three years. Custody for under 18s did fall by 11 per cent. between October 2002 and October 2003 and although there has been a recent increase, the Board does anticipate further reductions over time. The Youth Justice Board has no plans to discontinue the purchasing and commissioning of prison service accommodation. However, the Board has fulfilled the commitment made by the then Home Secretary in March 1999, to remove all girls aged under 17 from Prison Service accommodation. The Youth Justice Board and Prison Service are committed to improving the child protection and safeguards arrangements within the Prison Service juvenile estate. A comprehensive review of the arrangements in across the estate was undertaken during 2003 and a report launched in November. Its recommendations are currently under consideration. Every establishment has appointed a Child Protection Co-ordinator and has set up a Child Protection Committee with representation from the local Area Child Protection Committee, police and other relevant agencies. Anti-bullying strategies, and suicide and self- harm prevention policies have been put in place in all establishments in the estate. The Youth Justice Board's National Specification for Learning and Skills, introduced to the Prison Service juvenile estate in early 2002, focuses on improving numeracy and literacy; ensuring continuity of mainstream educational placements; reintegration into full-time education, training or employment; increasing employability through practical and vocational activities; and learning how to learn. Establishments provide a range of activities, including learning and skills, vocational training, work, physical education, enrichment activities, access to the library and offending behaviour programmes.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

169144; 423 c547-8W

Session

2003-04

Subjects

Education Prisons Sentencing Young offenders Safety Prison accommodation Young offender institutions

Contains statistics

Yes

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk