Children and Young People in Custody 2009-10

An Analysis of the Experiences of 15-18-Year-Olds in Prison

Author:

HM Inspectorate of Prisons and the Youth Justice Board (YJB)

Publisher:

TSO (The Stationery Office)

Price: £38.50

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'Children and Young People in Custody 2009-10: an Analysis of the Experiences of 15-18-Year-Olds in Prison' sets out how young people aged 15 to 18 described their own experience of imprisonment in 2009-10.

This is the sixth report to be published jointly between HM Inspectorate of Prisons and the Youth Justice Board, the evidence has been collected from 19 establishments and 1,162 children and young people: this represents 47% and 90% respectively of the young men and women in prison during the time the surveys collected in this report were conducted.

The number of children and young people in custody fell during 2009-10 from 2,126 to 1,724. This may mean that the treatment directed to the young people who remain can be more effectively and individually targeted, and, that imprisonment is now increasingly focused on the most troubled and troublesome young people.

The Report finds that of the young people involved in the surveys:

• 40% of the young men and 53% of the young women were aged 14 or less when they were last in school.

• 16% of the young men and 23% of the young women reported problems with alcohol.

• A large majority of the young people involved in these surveys had truanted and been excluded at some point.

• 34% of the young men and 39% of the young women reported problems with drugs when they first arrived at their establishment.

• 30% of the young men and 47% of the young women said they had no visits in the last month or never had visits.

• 23% of the young men and 38% of the young women reported emotional or mental health problems.

91% of young men and 97% of young women indicated that they would like to stop offending and two-thirds of the young people involved in these surveys plan to go to college or school on release which may be cause for cautious optimism.

Extent	178 pages	ISBN	9780108509513
Size	A4	Price	£38.50
Format	Paperback	Published	18 Nov 2010
Availability	Colour copy: 3 - 5 days	Delivery	Delivery options and charges