§ Mr. BayleyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many(a) boys and (b) girls aged 22W (1) less than 15, (2) 15 to 16, (3) 17 to 18 and (4) 18 to 21 years were held as convicted prisoners in (i) local authority secure accommodation, (ii) young offenders' institutions and (iii) adult prisons at the latest date for which figures are available and at the same date in each of the previous four years; [37539]
(2) how many (a) boys and (b) girls aged (1) less than 15, (2) 15 to 16, (3) 17 to 18 and (4) 18 to 21 years were held on remand in (i) local authority secure accommodation, (ii) young offenders' institutions and (iii) adult prisons at the latest date for which figures are available and at the same date in each of the previous four years. [37536]
§ Ms QuinThe available information on the number of young persons remanded to local authority accommodation in England is published in a Department of Health publication entitled "Children accommodated in secure units" (reference A/F 97/21). This information is presented on a financial year basis with the last report covering the year ending 31 March 1997.
Information on the number of young persons held in Young Offender Institutions and adult prisons is given in the table. Many "adult" establishments contain separate units or designated accommodation of young offenders and such persons are normally accommodated separately from adult prisoners. In the tables such establishments have been classed as "adult" establishments.
Information on the population of young offenders by age and type of custody is also published in successive volumes of "Prison statistics, England and Wales" (Table 3.2 of 1996 edition, Cm 3732), copies of which are in the Library.
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Population of young offenders in Prison Service establishments by age, type of custody, type of establishment and sex, 1994–1998 Age Establishment type Under 15 15–16 17–18 19–21 Males 28 February 1998 Remand: YOI - 233 1,242 1,216 Adult prison - 3 54 67 Sentenced: YOI - 709 2,570 4,721 Adult prison - 2 22 75 28 February 1997 Remand: YOI - 262 1,169 1,303 Adult prison - 12 100 134 Sentenced: YOI - 649 2,260 4,216 Adult prison - 3 42 93 29 February 1996 Remand: YOI - 185 955 1,110 Adult prison - 38 248 280 Sentenced: YOI - 531 1,678 3,622 Adult prison - 4 55 176 28 February 1995 Remand: YOI - 134 949 1,165 Adult prison - 49 247 280 Sentenced: YOI - 441 1,401 3,380 Adult prison - 3 60 119
Population of young offenders in Prison Service establishments by age, type of custody, type of establishment and sex, 1994–1998 Age Establishment type Under 15 15–16 17–18 19–21 28 February 1994 Remand: YOI - 158 1,136 1,453 Adult prison - 1 46 100 Sentenced: YOI - 375 1,502 3,197 Adult prison - - 4 43 Females 28 February 1998 Remand: YOI - - 7 4 Adult prison - - 46 64 Sentenced: YOI - 28 73 130 Adult prison - 8 46 62 28 February 1997 Remand: YOI - - 1 3 Adult prison - - 37 43 Sentenced: YOI - 22 54 89 Adult prison - 10 20 61 29 February 1996 Remand: YOI - - 5 2 Adult prison - - 30 42 Sentenced: YOI - 11 41 77 Adult prison - 3 10 49 28 February 1995 Remand: YOI - - 5 7 Adult prison - - 17 45 Sentenced: YOI - 15 31 90 Adult prison - 4 18 32 28 February 1994 Remand: YOI - - - - Adult prison - - 28 37 Sentenced: YOI - 7 22 59 Adult prison - 6 8 35
§ Mr. BayleyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what obligations are placed on the Government in relation to the use of adult prisons for young offenders by(a) the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and (b) the Children Acts; and if he will make a statement. [37538]
§ Ms QuinArticle 37(c) of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child requires that every child deprived of his or her liberty shall be separated from adults unless it is considered in the child's best interests not to do so. The United Kingdom has entered a reservation to the Convention to the effect that the mixing of children and adults is permitted where there is at any time a lack of suitable accommodation or adequate facilities for a particular individual in any institution, or where the mixing of adults and children is deemed to be mutually beneficial.
The Children Act 1989 does not apply to those in prison custody but the Prison Service is planning to reflect the principles and guidance of that Act in the new regime standards it is drawing up for juveniles.
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§ Mr. BayleyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the circumstances under which a young person under the age of 18 years should be held in an adult prison rather than in a young offenders' institution or local authority secure accommodation; and if he will make a statement. [37540]
§ Ms QuinAll young offenders sentenced to detention in a young offender institution (YOI) must be and are held in accommodation designated as a YOI. An unsentenced young person aged under 18 cannot be held in a YOI but must be held in a prison under Prison Rules although almost all unsentenced young people are held in accommodation with other young people. The Government's policy is to move towards a situation where it is no longer necessary to hold juveniles on remand in adult prisons. The Crime and Disorder Bill will enable the courts to remand vulnerable juveniles to local authority secure accommodation. The Prison Service is drawing up plans to hold all juveniles separately and to establish new regime standards for juveniles. We believe these measures will help protect the public and the welfare of these young people.
§ Mr. BayleyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action the Government are taking to encourage courts to make greater use of alternatives to custody when sentencing young offenders. [37537]
§ Mr. MichaelIn reforming the Youth Justice System, the Government's key focus, and the statutory aim it will impose on youth justice agencies, is to prevent offending. By acting to intervene with young offenders earlier and more effectively we will stop them offending before they get to the stage where the courts have to consider custody. We are strengthening the range of community penalties available to the courts when sentencing. By putting in place local Youth Offending Teams to supervise offenders serving these sentences and the Youth Justice Board to set standards for supervision and inspect performance, we are acting to improve the quality of community sentences. All this will give sentencers more options in imposing community sentences and greater confidence to use them as alternatives to custody.
§ Mr. CrausbyTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to establish continuity in the proposed youth offending teams. [37364]
§ Mr. MichaelYouth offending teams will build on existing good practice in the work of youth justice teams and will ensure that work with young offenders is undertaken effectively and consistently across England and Wales.
The Government will publish guidance on the establishment and operation of youth offending teams. The guidance will address the staffing and functions of the teams. The Youth Justice Board, which is to be established under clause 35 of the Crime and Disorder Bill, will monitor the operation of the youth justice system and the provision of youth justice services which will be co-ordinated locally by youth offending teams.