Prohibit pain compliance techniques

The Index has not yet recorded a verbatim government response to this recommendation.

No statement on delivery from Ministry of Justice has been found in the sources searched. This is separate from the response above.

On 23 July 2019, the Ministry of Justice stated that it had commissioned a review of the use of pain-inducing techniques in Youth Offender Institutions, Secure Training Centres, and during escorts. Following this review, the Ministry of Justice will publish its response to the Inquiry’s recommendation. On 18 June 2020, the Ministry of Justice published the Charlie Taylor Review of pain-inducing techniques in the youth secure estate. The Review makes 15 recommendations to ensure a safer youth custodial estate, including that the Minimising and Managing Physical Restraint (MMPR) syllabus be amended to remove the use of pain inducing techniques. However the Review notes that “even in the most humane, well-run setting there will be occasions when direct, immediate physical force is required” (p.21) and as a result recommends that staff in Youth Offender Institutions and Secure Training Centres may use pain-inducing techniques to prevent serious physical harm to a child or adult. Alongside the Taylor Review, the Ministry of Justice published the Government’s response to the Review and its recommendations. In particular, the Ministry of Justice stated that it will revise the approved training modules so that sections on pain-inducing techniques are removed and the MMPR syllabus consists only of behaviour management and restraint techniques. In April 2021, the Ministry of Justice confirmed that the Youth Custody Service had established the Independent Restraint and Behaviour Panel .