Kids might be locked up for 23 hours a day at Christmas as prisons in chaos
Hundreds of susceptible youngsters in jail might be let loose of their cell for only one hour this Christmas day.
A number one jail reform charity has raised the alarm over an absence of assist and funding this festive interval after damning studies and inspections into the youth justice system this 12 months. The Howard League for Penal Reform stated we shouldn’t be persevering with to carry youngsters in prisons as we transfer into 2024 because it urged the Government to contemplate an entire transfer to Children’s Secure Homes.
Speaking to the Mirror, the charity’s Communications Manager Rob Preece stated the festive interval was a “concerning time”. “The Christmas period is obviously a time when people take holiday and there are fewer staff around than normal. The children we have heard from have said they spend longer in their cells at this time of year. Two of the young people said they had only one hour out of their cells on Christmas Day,” he stated.
“It isn’t unusual to hear of children in the system having witnessed or, in some cases, having been victims of domestic abuse. It’s quite common to hear of cases where people have had very volatile early lives with families who are really struggling. Poverty. Some are in care. This would be a difficult time for some in the community. It’s even more difficult when in prison.”
A damning annual report into youngsters in custody discovered progress for the reason that pandemic “has stalled and in key areas things have got worse”. Just 46% of youngsters reported feeling cared for by workers, whereas 38% of youngsters reported spending greater than two hours out of their cell on the weekend, it discovered.
Chief Inspector of Prisons Charlie Taylor stated these “failings” have to be urgently addressed. “If this is not achieved institutions holding children will continue to be characterised by unpredictable violence… and long periods of lock up,” he wrote.
The variety of youngsters aged 12-18 locked up in Youth Offender Institutions and Secure Training Centres was 434 in 2022–23, in contrast with 939 in 2015–16. While the decline is welcomed, Mr Preece warned youngsters might be being taken care of “in more appropriate settings”.
“Children are clearly not receiving the support they require in prison. Prison is no place for a child. We know that Secure Children’s Homes that are properly funded and well-staffed can help children and provide a supportive environment,” he stated.
“Where possible, you would want children to be in the community with their loved ones. But if they must be in a custodial setting, then Secure Children’s Homes are the way to go. We shouldn’t be in 2023 moving into 2024 continuing to hold children in prisons that cannot meet their needs.”
