Grave concerns about children’s prisons
We are one of a number signatories of a letter to the prison’s minister, Damian Hinds, expressing “grave concerns regarding the children’s secure estate”.
The letter, made public today, was coordinated by the Alliance for Youth Justice.
There is mounting concern about state of provision and the introduction of harsh methods of control in children’s prisons. Approving control methods like PAVA spray escalates the risk of inappropriate harms to children and young people.
The high needs of children in the estate are being neglected, with young adults over the age of 18 also being held in increasing numbers in children’s prisons. There is a risk of confused purposes and failure to deal with the new mix of needs.
Speaking today, our Research Director Roger Grimshaw, who signed the letter, said,
The Centre for Crime and Justice Studies shares the concerns of many organisations about the parlous and harmful state of prisons for children and young people, and urges others to express their views as soon as possible to the Minister responsible.