Source · IMB Annual Report
Young Offender Institutions (YOIs) in England
Year: 2021
Published: 12 Sep 2022
Type: Prison · Cat YOI
Key concerns
Positive findings
This national IMB report covers Young Offender Institutions (YOIs) in England from June 2020 to August 2021, a period heavily shaped by the Covid-19 pandemic. While some positive developments were noted, such as improved reception processes and generally lower self-harm, significant concerns persisted. These included limited time out of cell, insufficient education, and critical delays in mental health transfers and post-release support from local authorities, all exacerbated by pandemic restrictions.
Safety statistics
| Indicator | This year | Previous |
|---|---|---|
| Use of force | 633 | 605 |
Positive findings
The Boards noted improvements in reception and induction processes, including accessible information and fewer young people arriving late. In-room telephony was installed, and work on in-room showers continued. Most YOIs saw generally lower levels of self-harm, and healthcare services were well delivered with fewer missed appointments. Boards commended positive initiatives like music therapy, dedicated health and wellbeing therapists, and vocational programs such as Woody’s Barista Café.
Key concerns
Safety
Although overall there were lower levels of violence, some Boards reported spikes in violence, triggered by frustration and boredom.
Estate/Conditions
Many rooms were not fit for purpose, lacking basic facilities and furnishings.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
Limited time out of room, even by the end of August 2021, hindering the progression and resettlement of many young people and impacting their mental health.
Education/Purposeful Activity
While there was a gradual increase in face-to-face education, this was disrupted by lockdowns and staffing shortages. At the end of the reporting period, young people continued to receive insufficient education at most YOIs.
Resettlement/Release
Repeated
Delays in transfers to the adult estate, with some young adults being held at the YOIs for months after their 18th birthday.
Mental Health
Repeated
Delays in transfers of acutely mentally ill young people to secure mental health hospitals to receive the necessary appropriate treatment and care.
Resettlement/Release
Repeated
Problems due to poor support from some local authorities for young people for whom they were responsible, with regard to financial support during their custodial sentence and post-release accommodation support.
Safety
Repeated
The Board at Wetherby continued to raise concerns about the number of self-harm incidents, sometimes serious and potentially life-threatening.
Substance Misuse
The Board raised concerns that a ‘gang mentality’ was developing in some of the young people’s bubbles, with regular finds of improvised weapons, and from June 2021 the ingress of drugs and mobile phones.
Safety
Repeated
The Board at Wetherby continued to raise serious concerns about the inconsistency in whether body worn video cameras were switched on in the lead-up to, during and after violent incidents.
Estate/Conditions
Repeated
The Board at Cookham Wood welcomed the closure of the Phoenix separation unit for refurbishment and re-designation in December 2020, having repeatedly raised concerns about the state of disrepair and sparse facilities. However, it reported that these works were taking far too long and young people could have benefitted from accessing the new services that were to be offered on the unit.
Equality/Diversity
The Board at Wetherby also raised concerns that the phone interpretation service for foreign national prisoners was not always available during the reporting year.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
The Board at Cookham Wood reported that, in August 2021, the multi-faith suite was moved off the main residential block to a different building on the other side of the establishment. This resulted in officers having to escort young people to attend services. Young people subsequently informed the Board that they were not always able to attend services due to staff shortages and conflicting priorities.
Complaints/Property
Repeated
Some Boards continued to raise concerns about lost or misplaced property.
Staffing
Repeated
The Board at Wetherby continued to report on healthcare staff recruitment and retention issues, which resulted in agency staff often having to be used to fill the vacancies.
Overcrowding
A number of Boards raised major concerns about the high number of young people on remand. Many young people were being held on remand for lengthy periods due to delays in waiting for trials, with the longest wait being eight months.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
During the reporting period, Boards reported on the almost complete cessation of release on temporary licence (ROTL), due to Covid-19 restrictions.
Regime/Time Out of Cell
The Board at Cookham Wood queried why, unlike at secure training centres, young people held in YOIs were unable to receive calls in their rooms from friends and family approved on their PIN list.
Complaints/Property
Numerous young people at Cookham Wood expressed their frustration at delays in receiving mail and approving phone numbers.
Resettlement/Release
The Board at Cookham Wood also raised concerns about the limited IT and phone facilities which hindered the resettlement team’s communication with external agencies.
Report details
- Establishment
- Young Offender Institutions (YOIs) in England
- Type
- Prison · Cat YOI
- Report year
- 2021
- Published
- 12 September 2022