Over the last decade, the reformed youth justice system has seen increases in the numbers of children and young people in custody, a sharp rise in indeterminate sentences and the continuing deaths of young prisoners. The largest proportion of funding in youth justice at national level is spent on providing places for children and young people who have been remanded and sentenced to custody. The publication of the "Youth Crime Action Plan" during 2008 and the increasing emphasis on early intervention provides a framework to consider again the interaction between local services and secure residential placements. This report brings together contributions from leading experts on young people and criminal justice to critically examine current policy and practice.There are vital questions for both policy and practice on whether the configuration of the current secure estate reduces reoffending or whether other forms of residential placements are more effective. The report looks at current approaches to the sentencing and custody of children and young people, prevention of reoffending and a range of alternative regimes.
Author(s): Maggie Blyth, Robert Newman, Chris Wright
Year: 2008
Language: English
Pages: 112
Children and young people in custody......Page 2
Contents......Page 4
Acknowledgements......Page 5
Foreword......Page 6
Notes on contributors......Page 7
Youth custody: the history......Page 10
Youth Crime Action Plan: the future......Page 11
2. Resettlement......Page 13
3. Making the costs of custody visible......Page 14
Summary......Page 15
Population trends and characteristics......Page 18
Governance, organisation and accountability......Page 22
Possible futures......Page 27
Background......Page 32
Who are the young people in custody?......Page 33
Organisation......Page 34
Staff......Page 36
Daily routines......Page 38
External agencies......Page 39
Towards a model of secure accommodation......Page 40
Conclusion......Page 41
3. The cost of custody: whose responsibility?......Page 44
The current arrangements......Page 45
Young offender institutions......Page 46
Secure training centres......Page 47
Meeting the costs – the scope for justice reinvestment......Page 48
Conclusion......Page 51
Current trends in sentencing policy and practice......Page 54
The sentencing decision......Page 57
Understanding sentencing ‘in action’......Page 60
Conclusion......Page 61
Child imprisonment and child prisoners......Page 64
Damage, harm and child prisoner deaths......Page 66
The limits of ‘safer custody’ reform......Page 67
Fragmented knowledge......Page 68
Dawning recognition......Page 70
A case for comprehensive independent inquiry......Page 72
The seamless sentence: making the link between custody and community......Page 78
What are the links between education and youth offending? Is there an evidence base?......Page 79
Reviewing the DTO......Page 81
1. Children’s services and early intervention......Page 83
2. Education: raising expectations......Page 84
Characteristics of a ‘hybrid’ sentence......Page 86
Eligibility and funding......Page 87
Conclusion......Page 88
Introduction and context......Page 92
Young people and parole......Page 93
Improving decision making......Page 94
What expertise is required?......Page 96
Defensive or defensible practice?......Page 98
Conclusion: decision making in a complex risk system– drifting towards defensive practice?......Page 99
The legacy of organic growth......Page 106
The system under pressure......Page 107
Cost and quality......Page 108
High stakes......Page 109
The third way......Page 110
Conclusion......Page 111
