Separation of children in young offender institutions – review of progress
In January 2020, HM Inspectorate of Prisons published a report which investigated the conditions in young offender institutes (YOIs), in particular, use of separation as method of behaviour management. In August 2024, a review of the issues identified in this report took place and a report was published in October 2024 to summarise the findings.
Details
The 2020 report:
Separation of children in young offender institutions – a thematic review
The initial review in 2020 found that around 10% of children in YOIs were separated from their peers, with most experiencing very long periods of time in their cell with minimal human interaction, many unable to access ‘the very basics of daily life’.
Evidence given by the British Medical Association revealed that separation causes direct psychological harm to children, including ‘anxiety; depression; hostility, rage and aggression; cognitive disturbances; hypersensitivity to environmental stimulation; paranoia; and in the most extreme cases, hallucinations and psychosis’, with symptoms increasing with length of confinement.
Following the investigation, it was concluded that the system in place was inflicting significant harm on children and that an entirely new approach should be adopted. The HM Inspectorate of Prisons issued 10 recommendations for improvement. In August 2024, a review of this issue against these recommendations was published.
The 2024 review:
The review concluded that the majority of failings identified in 2020 remain today, with minimal progress having been made against the 10 recommendations for improvement.
Inspection reports continued to highlight the use and oversight of separation as a significant concern. In many cases, separation still meant solitary confinement where the children are unable to access the basics, including exercise, education and other interventions.
The HM Chief Inspector of Prisons referred to the findings of this review as a ‘serious indictment of the Youth Custody Service’. He believed that separating children in the conditions described in the report could potentially have a long-term detrimental effect on their health, behaviour and learning.
Commentary
This review evidences the inadequacy of the regimes and conditions that children are subjected to within YOIs. As a result of the current failings, spending time within a YOI could potentially have a detrimental impact on a child’s chances of future rehabilitation.
Practitioners may wish to raise this issue at the point of sentence for children facing potential custodial sentences and remands.