§ Mr. McNamaraTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many juveniles are in the preventive detention. [9267]
§ Ms QuinOn 18 July, the number of juveniles1 held in Prison Service establishments was:
Number Sentenced juveniles 1,816 Remanded juveniles 263 Total 2,079 1 The term juvenile is defined by the 1991 Criminal Justice Act as remanded 15 and 16-year-olds and sentenced 15 to 17-year-olds. Unsentenced 17-year-olds are classed as young male remands.
§ Mr. McNamaraTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what proportion of juveniles in detention are accommodated in individual cells; [9271]
(2) in what circumstances (a) juveniles in detention may be detained in the same cell as adults, (b) juveniles on remand may share the same cell as sentenced juveniles, (c) juvenile first offenders may share the same cell with persistent offenders and (d) juvenile females may share the same cell with male prisoners. [9287]
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§ Ms QuinInformation is not held centrally on the number of juveniles accommodated in individual cells and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
- (a) Governors may exceptionally allow the sharing of a cell by a male juvenile and an adult male prisoner in circumstances where it would be reasonable and practicable to permit this, for example where a son and a father or brothers are in custody in the same establishment and wish to be accommodated together. This must be in the interests of the young prisoner. Selected adult female prisoners can be located in accommodation designated for convicted young female prisoners.
- (b) In accordance with prison rule 3(2), unconvicted prisoners may not be required under any circumstances to share a cell with a convicted prisoner.
- (c) Subject to the need to maintain good order and discipline and to safeguard the interests of the individuals concerned, there is no restriction on juvenile first offenders sharing a cell with persistent offenders.
- (d) In accordance with prison rule 9(1), women prisoners are kept entirely separate from male prisoners.
§ Mr. McNamaraTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many visits juveniles in detention may receive each week. [9275]
§ Ms QuinThe statutory entitlement to visits by juveniles, which is the same as that for adult prisoners and young offenders, is set out in the young offender institution rules and standing order 5, copies of which are in the Library. In accordance with these, all convicted prisoners, including juveniles, are entitled to at least one visit after reception on conviction and every two weeks thereafter. Unconvicted prisoners, again including juveniles, are entitled to visits lasting at least one and a half hours each week but, where circumstances permit, governors should allow more. In addition to this, governors have discretion to allow special visits and prisoners may earn additional visits under the incentives and earned privileges scheme.
§ Mr. McNamaraTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the ratio of prison staff to children in detention. [9306]
§ Ms QuinThe majority of juveniles are held in establishments which also hold young offenders and/or adult prisoners. Therefore, it is not possible to say what the ratio of prison staff to juveniles is. The staff to prisoner ratio for all Prison Service establishments at 30 June 1997 was 1: 1.51.
§ Mr. McNamaraTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many complaints have been made alleging ill-treatment of juveniles in detention; and if he will make a statement on the outcomes of these complaints; [9281]
(2) what representations he has received from outside bodies in the last year in respect of the treatment of juveniles in detention. [9343]
§ Ms QuinThe Prison Service has received no representations from outside bodies in the last year on the treatment of juveniles whilst they are in detention. However, representations have been received from a range of organisations and agencies on the implementation of the provisions in the Criminal Justice Act 1991 for court-ordered secure remands and ending prison remands for juveniles. The Government remain committed to ending prison remands for 15 and648W 16-year-old boys as quickly as possible and hope that the planned review of secure accommodation will help in this regard.
Separate records of the total number of complaints made on behalf of juveniles, including those made by third parties, are not held centrally. Individual establishments, however, keep records of formal complaints made by juvenile prisoners, and the Director General of the Prison Service will write to my hon. Friend with details of the number of complaints received.
§ Mr. McNamaraTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will make a statement on the different prison regimes for juveniles; [9265]
(2) what types of prison work are (a) available and (b) compulsory for juveniles in detention; [9277]
(3) what social and educational assistance is provided for juveniles in detention. [9276]
§ Ms QuinThe nature of a prison regime for juveniles is for the governor to determine, within young offender institution rules, budget and on advice from his management team. The area manager must approve the regime for each establishment. This produces regimes which reflect local needs and recognise the specific needs of juvenile prisoners.
The work available for juveniles varies between establishments. Subject to limitations through legal restrictions on the operation of certain machinery by juveniles, and the requirement that young offenders under the age of 17 must undertake 15 hours per week compulsory education, the work is the same as provided for adult offenders.
Juveniles may be required to work as part of a balanced regime of education, training and work designed to assist them to acquire or develop personal responsibility, self-discipline, physical fitness, interests and skills and to obtain suitable employment after release. Where possible, they are given a choice of work.
The young offender institution consolidated rules 1996 require that prisoners aged less than 17 be provided with at least 15 hours a week of education or training. The education provided is focused on remedial eduation in basic skills, combined with a wider variety of experience and training to equip young offenders to deal more effectively with life after imprisonment.
Education provision for those under 17 years of age is linked to the national curriculum for schools in so far as facilities allow.
§ Mr. McNamaraTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the minimum age for the detention of juveniles. [9269]
§ Mr. MichaelThe following custodial sentences are currently available to the courts for convicted juveniles: from the age of 10, detention during Her Majesty's pleasure for murder under section 53(1) of the Children 649W and Young Persons Act 1933; and detention, up to the adult maximum, under section 53(2) of the Children and Young Persons Act 1933 for grave crimes including those which are punishable in the case of an adult by 14 years' imprisonment or more. For juveniles aged 15 to 17, detention in a young offender institution for a maximum of two years is available for any offence for which an adult may be sentenced to imprisonment.
Our aim is to provide the courts with a more coherent and flexible set of custodial powers than those left by the previous Government. In the meantime, we will press ahead with introducing the secure training order provided for in the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994, to deal with 12 to 14-year-old persistent offenders who have not responded to punishment in the community. My right. hon. Friend announced on 3 July that he has commissioned a review of the secure accommodation currently available for young offenders and the youth justice task force will be advising Ministers on this issue. When the secure training order is implemented, the courts will have the following powers to impose custodial sentences:
10 to 17detention during Her Majesty's pleasure for murder (section 53(1) Children and Young Persons Act 1993):10 and 11-years-oldssection 53(2) custody, up to the adult maximum, for grave offences;12, 13 and 14-year-oldssection 53(2) custody, up to the adult maximum for grave offences, and the secure training order (STO) for up to two years, for less serious but persistent offending;650W
Receptions of 15, 16 and 17-year-olds into prison by establishment in 19961 2 Untried Convicted unsentenced Sentenced Male Female Male Female Male Female Remand centres (male) Brinsford 136 0 106 0 51 0 Dorchester 41 0 33 0 2 0 Exeter 102 0 62 0 31 0 Feltham 386 0 243 0 43 0 Glen Parva 708 0 512 0 19 0 Gloucester 141 0 102 0 27 0 Hindley 551 0 383 0 218 0 Lancaster Farms 223 0 144 0 84 0 Low Newton 420 0 265 0 46 0 Northallerton 323 0 196 0 24 0 Norwich 80 0 51 0 6 0 Reading 229 0 159 0 36 0 Rochester 115 0 58 0 48 0 Swansea 102 0 78 0 39 0 Wood Hill 53 0 40 0 12 0 Total remand centres (male) 3,610 0 2,432 0 686 0 Local prisons (male) Camp Hill 1 0 0 0 1 0 Cardiff 180 0 107 0 52 0 Chelmsford 89 0 63 0 11 0 Doncaster 484 0 319 0 261 0 Exeter 9 0 8 0 2 0 Gloucester 2 0 0 0 0 0 Hull 184 0 112 0 43 0 Lewes 56 0 34 0 6 0 Norwich 3 0 1 0 0 0 Rochester 0 0 0 0 1 0
15, 16 and 17-year-oldssection 53(2) custody, up to the adult maximum for grave offences, and detention of up to two years in a young offender institution for any other impressionable offence.
§ Mr. McNamaraTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in what circumstances juveniles in detention(a) have free access to drinking water and (b) are able to shave themselves each day. [9273]
§ Ms QuinMost juveniles in detention have a tap with drinkable water in their cell. Where the cell does not have integral sanitation, individuals will have access to drinking water outside the cell; or if they are confined to their cell during the day they will be provided with a jug of water.
The young offender institution rules (21. (3)) state that male juveniles in detention may be required by the governor to shave or be shaved for neatness or, as directed by the medical officer, for health or cleanliness. The circumstances will vary according to the inmate: those needing to shave and who are not considered a suicide risk may keep their own razors, and are encouraged to shave each day; where a juvenile is considered a suicide risk the razor is issued temporarily for shaving under supervision.
§ Mr. McNamaraTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many institutions hold juvenile detainees; and if he will list these indicating their type and the number of juveniles admitted to each in the last year for which figures are available. [9264]
§ Ms QuinProvisional information for 1996 is given in the table. 651W
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Receptions of 15, 16 and 17-year-olds into prison by establishment in 19961 2 Untried Convicted unsentenced Sentenced Male Female Male Female Male Female Swansea 1 0 1 0 0 0 Wood Hill 5 0 4 0 0 0 Total local prisons (male) 1,014 0 649 0 377 0 Closed training prisons (male) Camp Hill 0 0 0 0 1 0 Total closed training prisons (male) 0 0 0 0 1 0 All adult establishments (male) 4,624 0 3,081 0 1,064 0 Closed YOIS (male) Brinsford 15 0 19 0 39 0 Deerbolt 0 0 0 0 9 0 Feltham 2 0 0 0 161 0 Glen Parva 1 0 2 0 187 0 Lancaster Farms 1 0 0 0 5 0 Moorland 0 0 0 0 1 0 Onley 0 0 0 0 4 0 Portland 0 0 0 0 3 0 Stoke Heath 0 0 0 0 1 0 Swinfen Hall 0 0 0 0 1 0 Total closed Yois (male) 19 0 21 0 411 0 Juvenile YOIS (male) Brinsford 376 0 300 0 492 0 Deerbolt 0 0 1 0 496 0 Feltham 562 0 337 0 914 0 Hollesey Bay 0 0 0 0 1 0 Lancaster Farms 62 0 51 0 30 0 Onley 0 0 0 0 375 0 Portland 1 0 0 0 426 0 Stoke Heath 0 0 1 0 206 0 Werrington 3 0 1 0 395 0 Wetherby 1 0 0 0 256 0 Total juvenile YOIS (male) 1,005 0 691 0 3,591 0 Total all YOIS (male) 1,024 0 712 0 4,002 0 Total all prisons and remand centres 5,648 0 3,793 0 5,066 0 Local prisons (female) Eastwood Park 0 11 0 6 0 19 Holloway 0 50 0 30 0 68 Low Newton 0 29 0 17 0 29 New Hall 0 6 0 2 0 0 Pucklechurch 0 1 0 0 0 5 Risley 0 39 0 27 0 27 Total local prisons (female) 0 136 0 82 0 148 Open prisons (female) Askham Grange 0 0 0 0 0 2 Total open prisons (female) 0 0 0 0 0 2 Closed YOIS (female) Bullwood Hall 0 0 0 1 0 5 New Hall 0 20 0 13 0 39 Styal 0 0 0 0 0 16 Total closed YOIS (female) 0 20 0 14 0 60 Open YOIS (female) Drake Hall 0 0 0 0 0 4 Total open YOIS (female) 0 0 0 0 0 4 Total all female establishments 0 156 0 96 0 214 Total all establishments 5,648 156 3,793 96 5,066 214 1 Provisional figures. 2 Total receptions cannot be calculated by adding together receptions in each category because there is double counting.
§ Mr. McNamaraTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many children currently accompany mothers in detention. [9268]
§ Ms QuinOn 16 July 1997, 52 women had their children with them in the four mother and baby units in the female prison estate.
§ Mr. McNamaraTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cases of malnutrition have been recorded in respect of juveniles in detention in the last year. [9272]
Juveniles1 received into prison service establishments for non-criminal offences: 1992–96 Reason for detention Year Awaiting deportation Other immigration offence Contempt of court Total 1992 4 1 1 6 1993 2 10 1 13 1994 1 11 2 14 1995 4 9 0 13 1996 1 11 0 12 1 Aged 15–17.
§ Mr. McNamaraTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cases of prostitution have been recorded among juveniles in detention in the past year. [9278]
§ Mr. McNamaraTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many incidents of(a) protest movements, (b) mutinies or rebellions, (c) hunger strikes, (d) self-mutilation, (e) suicide and (f) prison escapes or attempted escapes affecting (i) male and (ii) female juveniles in detention have been recorded in the past year. [9284]
§ Ms QuinThe information is not available exactly in the form requested.
The table lists the number of reported incidents of concerted indiscipline, food refusal, attempted suicide, suicide, escapes and attempted escapes affecting male and female juveniles in the last financial year.
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Reported incidents 1996–97 for juveniles in detention Type of incident Number of incidents Male juveniles Female juveniles Concerted indiscipline1 4 3 Food refusal 0 0 Attempted suicide2 54 6 Suicide 2 0 Attempted escape 10 2 Escape 2 0 1 For reporting purposes, the Prison Service does nto separately define protest movements and mutinies or rebellions. Any incident where two or more prisoners refuse to comply with a direct order is reported as concerted indiscipline. 2 All instances of "self mutilation" are incorporated in the total number of attempted suicide incidents.
§ Ms QuinInformation on malnutrition in prisoners is not recorded centrally. All new receptions to Prison Service establishments, including juveniles, are screened by a medical officer. Any cases of malnutrition would be noted and followed up as appropriate.
§ Mr. McNamaraTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list each incident where juveniles have been detained for reasons other than suspicion or guilt of criminal offences in the last five years. [9280]
§ Ms QuinInformation for 1992 to 1996 is contained in the table. A list of each incident cannot be disclosed for reasons of confidentiality.
§ Mr. McNamaraTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many deaths of juveniles in detention have been recorded in the last year; what method of inquiry was instigated into the deaths; and what were the causes of the deaths. [9282]
§ Ms QuinIn the last year, there were two self-inflicted deaths of juveniles by hanging in Prison Service establishments. Each death was investigated by the coroner and an inquest held. The Prison Service also conducts an internal investigation into every death in custody.
Mr. McNamaraMTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the inspection and supervision systems for juvenile institutions. [9266]
§ Ms QuinYoung offender institutions and local prisons containing juveniles are inspected by Her Majesty's chief inspector of prisons for England and Wales with the same frequency as all other prisons. All reports are published.
Her Majesty's chief inspector has included inspectors from the inspectorate of probation services, the inspectorate of social service and the Office for Standards in Education on occasions, to take advantage of their particular knowledge of juveniles.
The supervision of juveniles in prison is the responsibility of the Prison Service.
§ Mr. McNamaraTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many juveniles are detained in each institution by(a) age and (b) gender. [9270]
§ Ms QuinProvisional information for 31 May is given in the table.
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15, 16, and 17-year-olds in prison in England and Wales on 31 May 1997 by establishment All ages Males Total Remand Sentenced Fine default Civil Aylesbury 61 0 61 0 0 Brinsford 122 82 40 0 0 Brockhill 1 0 1 0 0 Cardiff 30 23 7 0 0 Castington 12 0 12 0 0 Chelmsford 7 7 0 0 0 Deerbolt 114 6 108 0 0 Doncaster 147 88 59 0 0 Dorchester 1 1 0 0 0 Dover 41 0 41 0 0 Exeter 9 8 1 0 0 Feltham 356 139 217 0 0 Glen Parva 249 136 113 0 0 Gloucester 28 26 2 0 0 Hindley 135 67 68 0 0 Hollesley Bay 43 0 43 0 0 Hull 22 20 2 0 0 Huntercombe/Finnamore Wood 56 0 56 0 0 Lancaster Farms 70 29 41 0 0 Lewes 11 11 0 0 0 Low Newton 39 35 4 0 0 Moorland 26 0 26 0 0 Northallerton 39 38 1 0 0 Norwich 10 10 0 0 0 Onley 105 0 105 0 0 Portland 154 2 152 0 0 Reading 28 26 2 0 0 Rochester 12 11 1 0 0 Stoke Heath 107 0 107 0 0 656W
Aged 15 Males Total Remand Sentenced Fine default Civil Aylesbury 0 0 0 0 0 Brinsford 15 9 6 0 0 Brockhill 0 0 0 0 0 Cardiff 3 1 2 0 0 Castington 0 0 0 0 0 Chelmsford 0 0 0 0 0 Deerbolt 17 1 16 0 0 Doncaster 20 11 9 0 0 Dorchester 0 0 0 0 0 Dover 0 0 0 0 0 Exeter 3 3 0 0 0 Feltham 67 18 49 0 0 Glen Parva 24 16 8 0 0 Gloucester 1 1 0 0 0 Hindley 9 3 6 0 0 Hollesley Bay 0 0 0 0 0 Hull 3 2 1 0 0 Huntercombe/Finnamore Wood 0 0 0 0 0 Lancaster Farms 5 3 2 0 0 Lewes 0 0 0 0 0 Low Newton 1 1 0 0 0 Moorland 2 0 2 0 0 Northallerton 3 3 0 0 0 Norwich 0 0 0 0 0 Onley 14 0 14 0 0 Portland 14 0 14 0 0
Aged 15 Males Total Remand Sentenced Fine default Civil Reading 0 0 0 0 0 Rochester 0 0 0 0 0 Stoke Heath 12 0 12 0 0
Aged 16 Males Total Remand Sentenced Fine default Civil Aylesbury 22 0 22 0 0 Brinsford 34 22 12 0 0 Brockhill 0 0 0 0 0 Cardiff 7 3 4 0 0 Castington 2 0 2 0 0 Chelmsford 0 0 0 0 0 Deerbolt 43 2 41 0 0 Doncaster 30 19 11 0 0 Dorchester 0 0 0 0 0 Dover 0 0 0 0 0 Exeter 2 2 0 0 0 Feltham 125 52 73 0 0 Glen Parva 49 29 20 0 0 Gloucester 4 4 0 0 0 Hindley 36 16 20 0 0 Hollesley Bay 16 0 16 0 0 Hull 6 5 1 0 0 Huntercombe/Finnamore Wood 22 0 22 0 0 Lancaster Farms 16 4 12 0 0 Lewes 0 0 0 0 0 Low Newton 10 9 1 0 0 Moorland 4 0 4 0 0 Northallerton 13 12 1 0 0 Norwich 0 0 0 0 0 Onley 36 0 36 0 0 Portland 43 0 43 0 0 Reading 1 1 0 0 0 Rochester 0 0 0 0 0 Stoke Heath 34 0 34 0 0 657W
Aged 17 Males Total Remand Sentenced Fine default Civil Aylesbury 39 0 39 0 0 Brinsford 73 51 22 0 0 Brockhill 1 0 1 0 0 Cardiff 20 19 1 0 0 Castington 10 0 10 0 0 Chelmsford 7 7 0 0 0 Deerbolt 54 3 51 0 0 Doncaster 97 58 39 0 0 Dorchester 1 1 0 0 0 Dover 41 0 41 0 0 Exeter 4 3 1 0 0 Feltham 164 69 95 0 0 Glen Parva 176 91 85 0 0 Gloucester 23 21 2 0 0 Hindley 90 48 42 0 0 Hollesley Bay 27 0 27 0 0 Hull 13 13 0 0 0 Huntercombe/Finnamore Wood 34 0 34 0 0 Lancaster Farms 49 22 27 0 0
Aged 17 Males Total Remand Sentenced Fine default Civil Lewes 11 11 0 0 0 Low Newton 28 25 3 0 0 Moorland 20 0 20 0 0 Northallerton 23 23 0 0 0 Norwich 10 10 0 0 0 Onley 55 0 55 0 0 Portland 97 2 95 0 0 Reading 27 25 2 0 0 Rochester 12 11 1 0 0 Stoke Heath 61 0 61 0 0
§ Mr. McNamaraTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what screening, preventive care and medical care is provided for juveniles in detention. [9274]
§ Ms QuinThe Prison Service health care standards require establishments to provide reception screening, clinical and other health assessment, counselling and education, to treat inmates, promote healthier life styles and, generally, to enable them to take informed decisions regarding matters affecting their health. The standards apply to young offender institutions as well as adult prisons.