Recommendations & Conclusions
5 items
1
Conclusion
Thirteenth Report - Secure training cen…
Acknowledged
On the basis of a report by the Comptroller and Audit General, we took evidence from the Ministry for Justice (the Ministry) and Her Majesty’s Prison & Probation Service (HMPPS) about current youth custody provision in England and Wales, as well as their strategy for improving the options available for …
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On the basis of a report by the Comptroller and Audit General, we took evidence from the Ministry for Justice (the Ministry) and Her Majesty’s Prison & Probation Service (HMPPS) about current youth custody provision in England and Wales, as well as their strategy for improving the options available for placing children in custody.1
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Government response AI summary
The government acknowledges the importance of recording protected characteristic information and describes the Youth Custody Service's D&I workstream.
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HM Treasury
10
Conclusion
Thirteenth Report - Secure training cen…
Acknowledged
Following a long-term decline in children in custody, the Ministry and HMPPS anticipate the number of children in custody to more than double from 2021 levels by September 2024. They expect children aged 15 to 17 in young offender institutions (YOIs) will increase from 343 in July 2021 to 700 …
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Following a long-term decline in children in custody, the Ministry and HMPPS anticipate the number of children in custody to more than double from 2021 levels by September 2024. They expect children aged 15 to 17 in young offender institutions (YOIs) will increase from 343 in July 2021 to 700 in July 2025. They attribute this expected increase to courts recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic, the impact of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill, and government’s plans to recruit additional police officers.25 Currently, HMPPS has spare capacity in its youth secure estate—the occupancy rate was 60% in February 2022—but there is a risk that it will not have the right accommodation for some children’s needs.26 Its provision for more vulnerable children is limited, as the first secure school has not yet opened, and only one STC remains open but is subject to performance concerns.27 SCHs house very vulnerable children, but their legislative arrangements mean that the Local Authority running the SCH may refuse to accept a child if it perceives doing so will compromise that child’s safety and care or that of another child.28
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Government response AI summary
The government acknowledges the forecasted increase in the youth custody population but suggests it may not materialize as quickly as previously estimated. They state that the youth estate currently has sufficient capacity.
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HM Treasury
12
Conclusion
Thirteenth Report - Secure training cen…
Acknowledged
The Ministry spoke to us about its vision to be more outcomes-led and to drive up performance and standards. It also wants to focus on early intervention. The Government has announced youth funding of £100 million a year over the next three years, including £60 million a year for the …
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The Ministry spoke to us about its vision to be more outcomes-led and to drive up performance and standards. It also wants to focus on early intervention. The Government has announced youth funding of £100 million a year over the next three years, including £60 million a year for the Turnaround programme – focused on early intervention for children in the community. The Ministry informed us that it is working with other government departments, including the Department for Education (DfE) and NHS England, on early intervention.35 It also referred to the cross-government work of the Youth Justice Board and the joint funding for local youth offending teams. Yet it was unable to point to a coherent cross-government youth justice strategy and told us that local areas will understand more about what is needed in their area.36 It considered the changes it was making to youth custody establishments to be in support of this vision, but improvements were piecemeal and it did not articulate how each improvement project— for secure schools, YOIs, and STCs—fed into an overall strategy for youth justice.37 Location of youth custody provision
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Government response AI summary
The government acknowledges the importance of early intervention and community-based support, referencing the 9.8% uplift in funding to Youth Offending Teams (YOTs) and the new ‘Turnaround’ programme.
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HM Treasury
13
Conclusion
Thirteenth Report - Secure training cen…
Acknowledged
The average number of children in custody has fallen by 73% in the last decade, from 2,040 in 2010–11, to 560 in 2020–21, reflecting a long-term decline in the number of recorded youth offences.38 The Ministry told us that the reduction has a lot to do with diversionary activities, whereby …
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The average number of children in custody has fallen by 73% in the last decade, from 2,040 in 2010–11, to 560 in 2020–21, reflecting a long-term decline in the number of recorded youth offences.38 The Ministry told us that the reduction has a lot to do with diversionary activities, whereby children may be diverted from formally entering the youth justice system, such as through community resolutions.39 With such a small population, HMPPS told us it is persistently difficult to provide enough local provision for children. It described how it already has places available in YOIs and SCHs, as well as Oakhill STC and the secure school coming online. Its challenge is being able to match children to the right provision, in the right part of the country.40 HMPPS told us that it provides financial support so families can visit.41 But location is important so children can be close to their families.42
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Government response AI summary
The government acknowledges the youth custody population fell substantially, forecasts suggest it will increase, and HMPPS considers there will be sufficient capacity across the estate.
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HM Treasury
22
Conclusion
Thirteenth Report - Secure training cen…
Acknowledged
The Ministry told us that it is focused on early intervention to improve outcomes for children.75 We asked the Ministry how it knows what works in terms of diverting children away from the youth justice system.76 It informed us that it is working closely with the Youth Justice Board and …
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The Ministry told us that it is focused on early intervention to improve outcomes for children.75 We asked the Ministry how it knows what works in terms of diverting children away from the youth justice system.76 It informed us that it is working closely with the Youth Justice Board and youth offending teams on what community provision and diversion looks like.77 It pointed to funding of £60 million a year for the Turnaround programme—an early intervention scheme for children in the community—and told us that the evidence these diversionary activities are working could be seen in the long-term decline in the number of children entering custody.78 However, the Ministry does not have good data to understand the reasons for this reduction in full, including the extent which it is due to a reduction in crime or more children been diverted from formally entering the youth justice system.79 The Ministry and HMPPS acknowledged that it is both hard, but important, to evaluate diversionary tactics because of the absence of a counterfactual.80
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Government response AI summary
The government acknowledges the importance of early intervention and community-based support, referencing the 9.8% uplift in funding to Youth Offending Teams (YOTs) and the new ‘Turnaround’ programme.
Read full response →
HM Treasury