By Helen Mooney
20 August 2009
Children detained in prisons and young offenders institutions are exposed to such ‘dire conditions’ that they are living in ‘modern day dungeons’, according to a hard-hitting report by the Howard League for Penal Reform.
The report, published on August 17, paints a picture of ‘extraordinary squalor and institutional brutality’, with children regularly denied access to showers, toilets and outside exercise areas.
Detained children are also often subject to strip searches by adult staff and many institutions fail properly to undertake required assessments, plans and reviews.
Frances Crook, director of the Howard League, said: ‘We keep children smelly and dirty, idle and frightened, bored with education and cooped up in modern-day dungeons. And we expect them miraculously to pupate into responsible citizens. In reality, these young people leave prison more damaged and more dangerous than when they first went in. It is frankly shocking that we treat children in this way in the twenty-first century.’
At Ashfield prison in Gloucestershire, which is run by Serco, children were routinely given bags to urinate in instead of being allowed toilets on their journey to the prison, the report found. At Castington jail in Northumberland, children were allowed showers only twice a week and seven young people suffered broken wrists after being handcuffed.
A Ministry of Justice spokesman said: ‘Work is continuing on raising the quality of the services provided and developing new initiatives that will help further ensure positive outcomes for all the young people.’
Justice committee call for change in youth sentencing
20 August 2009
Children detained in prisons and young offenders institutions are exposed to such ‘dire conditions’ that they are living in ‘modern day dungeons’, according to a hard-hitting report by the Howard League for Penal Reform.
The report, published on August 17, paints a picture of ‘extraordinary squalor and institutional brutality’, with children regularly denied access to showers, toilets and outside exercise areas.
Detained children are also often subject to strip searches by adult staff and many institutions fail properly to undertake required assessments, plans and reviews.
Frances Crook, director of the Howard League, said: ‘We keep children smelly and dirty, idle and frightened, bored with education and cooped up in modern-day dungeons. And we expect them miraculously to pupate into responsible citizens. In reality, these young people leave prison more damaged and more dangerous than when they first went in. It is frankly shocking that we treat children in this way in the twenty-first century.’
At Ashfield prison in Gloucestershire, which is run by Serco, children were routinely given bags to urinate in instead of being allowed toilets on their journey to the prison, the report found. At Castington jail in Northumberland, children were allowed showers only twice a week and seven young people suffered broken wrists after being handcuffed.
A Ministry of Justice spokesman said: ‘Work is continuing on raising the quality of the services provided and developing new initiatives that will help further ensure positive outcomes for all the young people.’
Justice committee call for change in youth sentencing
