§ Mr. McNamaraTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what representations he has received from outside bodies in the last year in respect of the treatment of juveniles in detention. [9344]
§ Mr. IngramRepresentations from a wide range of interests were received following publication earlier this year of a proposal for a draft Order in Council dealing with juveniles in the criminal justice system. Most were supportive of the proposed changes to the legislation.
§ Mr. McNamaraTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland 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 [9285]
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§ Mr. IngramThe following is the information:
- (a) Protest movements: None
- (b) Mutinies or rebellions: None
- (c) Hunger strikes: None
- (d) Cases of self-mutilation: The incidents of self-injurious behaviour in each of the training schools during the past year are:
- St. Patrick's training school: None
- Middletown juvenile justice centre: None
- Lisnevin: None
- Rathgael juvenile justice services:
- Boys: 3
- Girls: 2
- Total: 5
- (e) Case of Suicide: None
- (f) Prison escapes or attempted escapes: None
§ Mr. McNamaraTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many institutions hold juvenile detainees; and if she will list these indicating their type and the number of juveniles admitted to each in the last year for which figures are available. [9223]
§ Mr. IngramThere are four training schools which hold both remands and committals. In the year ended 31 December 1995, the last year for which figures are available, the number of admissions was as follows:
Type Number Rathgael Juvenile Justice Services Non-secure accommodation 88 Lisnevin Secure accommodation for boys 229 St. Patrick's Training School Non-secure accommodation for Catholic boys 50 Middletown Juvenile Justice Centres Non-secure accommodation for Catholic girls 7
Male Female Number 12 years 13 years 14 years 15 years 16 years 17 years 18 years 14 years 15 years 16 years Rathgael 27 1 4 6 3 8 1 1 1 1 1 St. Patricks 10 - 1 2 1 6 - - - - - Middletown - - - - - - - - - - Lisnevin 36 - - 3 17 15 1 - - - - Total 73 1 5 11 21 29 2 1 1 1 1
§ Mr. McNamaraTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what proportion of juveniles in detention are accommodated in individual cells. [9230]
§ Mr. IngramAll children in the training schools have individual rooms.
§ Mr. McNamaraTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many complaints have been made alleging ill-treatment of juveniles in detention; and if she will make a statement on the outcomes of these complaints. [9241]
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§ Mr. McNamaraTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if she will make a statement on the different prison regimes for juveniles. [9224]
§ Mr. IngramChildren under the age of 17 may be remanded in custody or, if found guilty of an offence punishable in the case of an adult with imprisonment, may be sent to a training school. Only one of the four training schools is a secure unit and this is for boys only.
§ Mr. McNamaraTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if she will make a statement on the inspection and supervision systems for juvenile institutions. [9225]
§ Mr. IngramThe training schools are inspected regularly by the social services inspectorate which has independent advisers from the Department of Health and Social Services.
§ Mr. McNamaraTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many juveniles are in preventive detention. [9226]
§ Mr. IngramThe number of juveniles held in the four training schools at 19 June 1997 both in secure and other accommodation was 73.
§ Mr. McNamaraTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many children currently accompany mothers in detention. [9227]
§ Mr. IngramNone.
§ Mr. McNamaraTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if she will make a statement on the minimum age for the detention of juveniles. [9228]
§ Mr. IngramThe minimum age for the detention of juveniles is 10, which is the same as the minimum age of criminal responsibility. There are no plans to change this at present.
§ Mr. McNamaraTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many juveniles are detained in each institution by(a) age and (b) gender. [9229]
§ Mr. IngramThe number held in each school by gender and age on 19 June 1997 was:
§ Mr. IngramThere have been no complaints of ill-treatment of juveniles held in the training schools in the past year.
§ Mr. McNamaraTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if she will list each incident where juveniles have been detained for reasons other than suspicion or guilt of criminal offences in the last five years. [9239]
§ Mr. IngramNone.
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§ Mr. McNamaraTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many cases of malnutrition have been recorded in respect of juveniles in detention in the last year. [9231]
§ Mr. IngramNone.
§ Mr. McNamaraTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland in what circumstances juveniles in detention(a) have free access to drinking water and (b) are able to shave themselves each day. [9232]
§ Mr. Ingram(a) during the day, the children have free access to drinking water and during the night, they have access via a call system and a night supervisor; (b) those boys old enough to shave are free to do so each day.
§ Mr. McNamaraTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what screening, preventive care and medical care is provided for juveniles in detention. [9233]
§ Mr. IngramAll children in the training schools undergo regular medical and dental checks. Drug awareness and sex education are also available as part of the general programme of education.
§ Mr. McNamaraTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many visits juveniles in detention may receive each week. [9234]
§ Mr. IngramThere are no limits on the number of visits a child may receive each week.
§ Mr. McNamaraTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what social and educational assistance is provided for juveniles in detention. [9235]
§ Mr. IngramAn extensive range of vocational and educational training is provided in the training schools as well as access to physical and recreational facilities.
§ Mr. McNamaraTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what types of prison work are(a) available and (b) compulsory for juveniles in detention. [9236]
§ Mr. IngramChildren in the training schools are not required to do manual work. Some engage in horticultural or other activities as part of vocational training.
§ Mr. McNamaraTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many cases of prostitution have been recorded among juveniles in detention in the past year. [9237]
§ Mr. IngramNone.
§ Mr. McNamaraTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if she will estimate the incidence of physical and sexual abuse by inmates in respect of juveniles in detention in the last year. [9238]
§ Mr. IngramThere are no recorded incidences of sexual or serious physical abuse in the training schools in the past year.
§ Mr. McNamaraTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland 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. [9242]
§ Mr. IngramNone.
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§ Mr. McNamaraTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland 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. [9288]
§ Mr. IngramNone.
§ Mr. McNamaraTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the ratio of prison staff to children in detention. [9240]
§ Mr. IngramStaff in the training schools are mainly social workers. The ratio of staff to children range from 1:4 in some units, to 1:2 in the secure units.