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Young offenders: government plans to put education 'at heart of detention' Young offenders: government plans to put education 'at heart of detention'
(7 months later)
Academies and free schools are to be invited to take over education in young offender institutions (YOIs) as part of a radical plan to create "secure training colleges".Academies and free schools are to be invited to take over education in young offender institutions (YOIs) as part of a radical plan to create "secure training colleges".
A green paper on the future of youth custody, which the justice secretary, Chris Grayling, is due to outline, aims to "put education at the heart of detention" for the 1,500 young offenders currently held in YOIs, local authority secure units and privately run secure training centres across England and Wales.A green paper on the future of youth custody, which the justice secretary, Chris Grayling, is due to outline, aims to "put education at the heart of detention" for the 1,500 young offenders currently held in YOIs, local authority secure units and privately run secure training centres across England and Wales.
The latest reoffending statistics for 2011/12 show 73% of young offenders reoffended within a year of leaving custody compared with 47% of adult offenders. Although YOIs are contracted to deliver 15 hours of education a week for each offender, they often fail to do so. Half of all the 15-17-year-olds sent to young offender institutions are assessed as having the literacy levels of a seven-11 year old, with 88% of the young male offenders having been excluded from school.The latest reoffending statistics for 2011/12 show 73% of young offenders reoffended within a year of leaving custody compared with 47% of adult offenders. Although YOIs are contracted to deliver 15 hours of education a week for each offender, they often fail to do so. Half of all the 15-17-year-olds sent to young offender institutions are assessed as having the literacy levels of a seven-11 year old, with 88% of the young male offenders having been excluded from school.
Grayling said the youth custody green paper provided an opportunity for a radically different approach: "Some youth custodial places cost £200,000, five times the cost of sending a child to a top private school. But nearly three-quarters of young people leaving custody reoffend," said the justice secretary.Grayling said the youth custody green paper provided an opportunity for a radically different approach: "Some youth custodial places cost £200,000, five times the cost of sending a child to a top private school. But nearly three-quarters of young people leaving custody reoffend," said the justice secretary.
"We cannot go on just doing more of the same, pouring more money into a system that doesn't work in the hope of a different outcome. That doesn't make any sense to the taxpayer or to the young people who we should be trying to get back on the straight and narrow.""We cannot go on just doing more of the same, pouring more money into a system that doesn't work in the hope of a different outcome. That doesn't make any sense to the taxpayer or to the young people who we should be trying to get back on the straight and narrow."
"I want to see new models, perhaps something like secure training colleges, providing education in a period of detention rather than detention with education as an afterthought. I want young people to get the education and skills they need to turn their backs on crime for good.""I want to see new models, perhaps something like secure training colleges, providing education in a period of detention rather than detention with education as an afterthought. I want young people to get the education and skills they need to turn their backs on crime for good."
The green paper looks at the free schools and academies programmes, and says that their experience in attempting to turn around some of the worst-performing secondary schools in the country is needed in youth custody. It proposes to bring in their supposed expertise by letting new providers operate in the field.The green paper looks at the free schools and academies programmes, and says that their experience in attempting to turn around some of the worst-performing secondary schools in the country is needed in youth custody. It proposes to bring in their supposed expertise by letting new providers operate in the field.
Education in youth custody is currently provided on contract by a range of institutions including further education colleges. One of the main providers, Manchester College, has been criticised in recent years for the poor quality of its courses at at least two YOIs.Education in youth custody is currently provided on contract by a range of institutions including further education colleges. One of the main providers, Manchester College, has been criticised in recent years for the poor quality of its courses at at least two YOIs.
There were 1,372 under-18s in youth custody in December across England and Wales and a further 151 over-18s. There is a lot of spare capacity in the youth jails, which have an occupancy rate of just 63% and can hold 2,429 without overcrowding. The numbers in youth custody have fallen by 500 over the past year and have halved over the last decade.There were 1,372 under-18s in youth custody in December across England and Wales and a further 151 over-18s. There is a lot of spare capacity in the youth jails, which have an occupancy rate of just 63% and can hold 2,429 without overcrowding. The numbers in youth custody have fallen by 500 over the past year and have halved over the last decade.
A place in a local authority secure children's home costs £212,000 a year; a place in a privately run secure training centre costs £178,000, and a year in a young offender institution £178,000.A place in a local authority secure children's home costs £212,000 a year; a place in a privately run secure training centre costs £178,000, and a year in a young offender institution £178,000.
Frances Crook, of the Howard League for Penal Reform, welcomed the government's concentration on the educational difficulties of children who enter the criminal justice system: "However," she said, "we should never send children to prison to get an education. Confusion is at the heart of these plans, which risk repeating the mistakes of history such as the failing secure training centres, where re-offending is sky high and two children have died.Frances Crook, of the Howard League for Penal Reform, welcomed the government's concentration on the educational difficulties of children who enter the criminal justice system: "However," she said, "we should never send children to prison to get an education. Confusion is at the heart of these plans, which risk repeating the mistakes of history such as the failing secure training centres, where re-offending is sky high and two children have died.
"Almost all the children who end up in custody could be dealt with in the community, and that is the way to get them back into school, college or training.""Almost all the children who end up in custody could be dealt with in the community, and that is the way to get them back into school, college or training."
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