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| Youth justice system 'in crisis' | Youth justice system 'in crisis' |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| The number of young people in custody in England and Wales has reached a record high, prompting warnings of a youth justice system "crisis". | The number of young people in custody in England and Wales has reached a record high, prompting warnings of a youth justice system "crisis". |
| The Youth Justice Board, which administers the system, said 3,350 youngsters were being held and action was needed to stop a "meltdown". | The Youth Justice Board, which administers the system, said 3,350 youngsters were being held and action was needed to stop a "meltdown". |
| Only a handful of beds were free, and children were being held hundreds of miles from their families, it said. | Only a handful of beds were free, and children were being held hundreds of miles from their families, it said. |
| The Home Office said the use of custody for those under 18 was a last resort. | The Home Office said the use of custody for those under 18 was a last resort. |
| 'More tagging' | 'More tagging' |
| The Youth Justice Board said the rise in numbers at young offenders' institutes had caused an increased risk of self-harm and suicide by youngsters. | The Youth Justice Board said the rise in numbers at young offenders' institutes had caused an increased risk of self-harm and suicide by youngsters. |
| It meant difficulties in running crime reduction courses aimed at preventing re-offending. | It meant difficulties in running crime reduction courses aimed at preventing re-offending. |
| The likely consequence in the long term is to create more adult career criminals Rod MorganYouth Justice Board href="/1/hi/uk/6079894.stm" class="">Q&A: Youth justice system | |
| It also meant increasing numbers were being forced to share cells and youngsters were being transported around the country. | It also meant increasing numbers were being forced to share cells and youngsters were being transported around the country. |
| It is against the rules for young offenders to be held more than 50 miles from home. | It is against the rules for young offenders to be held more than 50 miles from home. |
| However, dozens of children and youngsters from London were held as far afield as South Yorkshire and the Scottish borders, said the board. | However, dozens of children and youngsters from London were held as far afield as South Yorkshire and the Scottish borders, said the board. |
| The board called for more use of schemes in which offenders are tagged and closely monitored in the community. | The board called for more use of schemes in which offenders are tagged and closely monitored in the community. |
| 'Career criminals' | 'Career criminals' |
| Chairman Rod Morgan said action was urgently needed to stop custody for young people going into "meltdown". | Chairman Rod Morgan said action was urgently needed to stop custody for young people going into "meltdown". |
| "Locking up more children is the equivalent for penal policy of building more coal fired power stations for global warming," he said. | "Locking up more children is the equivalent for penal policy of building more coal fired power stations for global warming," he said. |
| "The likely consequence in the long term is to create more adult career criminals." | "The likely consequence in the long term is to create more adult career criminals." |
| The proportion of young people committing crime had fallen, he said, but more were being locked up, partly because of police targets on the number of offences brought to justice. | The proportion of young people committing crime had fallen, he said, but more were being locked up, partly because of police targets on the number of offences brought to justice. |
| Custody is usually a last resort | Custody is usually a last resort |
| Martin Narey, chief executive of Barnardo's and former director general of the Prison Service, said locking people up had become a media "obsession". | Martin Narey, chief executive of Barnardo's and former director general of the Prison Service, said locking people up had become a media "obsession". |
| Although custody could sometimes be constructive in getting a child educated and off drugs, "in the sort of numbers the Youth Justice Board are having to lock up at the moment it is almost always a destructive experience," he said. | Although custody could sometimes be constructive in getting a child educated and off drugs, "in the sort of numbers the Youth Justice Board are having to lock up at the moment it is almost always a destructive experience," he said. |
| "So young children are coming into custody, staying a few weeks, sometimes far from home, losing contact with the home, losing jobs, losing tenancies and coming out more likely to be criminal than before." | "So young children are coming into custody, staying a few weeks, sometimes far from home, losing contact with the home, losing jobs, losing tenancies and coming out more likely to be criminal than before." |
| But Ann Widdecombe, former prisons minister, said: "The anti-social nature of youth today is a major source of worry." | But Ann Widdecombe, former prisons minister, said: "The anti-social nature of youth today is a major source of worry." |
| She said as minister there had been a shortage of places in custody, which meant a lot of youngsters were still terrorising neighbourhoods when they should have been locked up. | She said as minister there had been a shortage of places in custody, which meant a lot of youngsters were still terrorising neighbourhoods when they should have been locked up. |
| Public protection is our priority and we support tough sentences for those judged to be a danger to the public Home Office | Public protection is our priority and we support tough sentences for those judged to be a danger to the public Home Office |
| Earlier this month a nine-hour riot at a young offenders institution in Shropshire saw an entire wing put out of action. | Earlier this month a nine-hour riot at a young offenders institution in Shropshire saw an entire wing put out of action. |
| People working with young people said there were more effective alternatives to custody. | People working with young people said there were more effective alternatives to custody. |
| David Chater from the young people's charity Rainer said "intensive supervision and surveillance", which consisted of 25 hours a week of education, was much better value for money. | David Chater from the young people's charity Rainer said "intensive supervision and surveillance", which consisted of 25 hours a week of education, was much better value for money. |
| And Shaun Bailey, a youth worker in London, said young people have no respect for authority and it was up to schools and families to take a firmer responsibility about what's acceptable. | And Shaun Bailey, a youth worker in London, said young people have no respect for authority and it was up to schools and families to take a firmer responsibility about what's acceptable. |
| Early intervention | Early intervention |
| The Home Office said about 190,000 young people were dealt with by the police and courts each year but only 4% received a custodial sentence. | The Home Office said about 190,000 young people were dealt with by the police and courts each year but only 4% received a custodial sentence. |
| However, public protection was its priority and it supported tough sentences for those judged to be a danger to the public, it said. | However, public protection was its priority and it supported tough sentences for those judged to be a danger to the public, it said. |
| A spokesman said: "The government is committed to increasing the number of offences brought to justice. | A spokesman said: "The government is committed to increasing the number of offences brought to justice. |
| "Where young offenders are concerned, the youth justice system tries to intervene early and turn young people away from the CJS (Criminal Justice System) at every opportunity. | "Where young offenders are concerned, the youth justice system tries to intervene early and turn young people away from the CJS (Criminal Justice System) at every opportunity. |
| "In the right circumstances, pre-court interventions such as final warnings can be effective at preventing further offending by young people, and provide a mechanism for bringing young offenders to account outside the formal court system." | "In the right circumstances, pre-court interventions such as final warnings can be effective at preventing further offending by young people, and provide a mechanism for bringing young offenders to account outside the formal court system." |
| A rising adult prison population in England and Wales has recently led to prisoners being held in police cells, while the home secretary announced plans to use prison ships. | A rising adult prison population in England and Wales has recently led to prisoners being held in police cells, while the home secretary announced plans to use prison ships. |