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Child custody numbers 'too high' Child custody numbers 'too high'
(9 minutes later)
Courts in England and Wales are locking up more than five times as many children than in the early 1990s, according to the charity Barnardo's. More children are being locked up in England and Wales, according to the charity Barnardo's.
There has been a 550% increase in use of custody for 10 to 14-year-olds since 1996, despite no major change in the type of offending, said the charity. There has been a five-fold surge in the use of custody for 10 to 14-year-olds from 1996-2006, said the charity.
It wants sentencing policy changed so only serious crimes attract such terms. This is despite no significant increase in serious crime. Barnardo's is calling for sentencing policy to be overhauled.
The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) said just three in 100 young people convicted of offences receive custodial sentences.The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) said just three in 100 young people convicted of offences receive custodial sentences.
An spokesman added that custodial sentences for under 14s were a last resort. A spokesman added that custodial sentences for under 14s were a last resort.
Preventative workPreventative work
Campaigners have said prosecutions of young people increased after the age of criminal responsibility was lowered from 14 to 10 in 1997. Before 1994, under 15s in England and Wales could be sentenced to custody only if they had committed serious or violent offences such as rape, assault or burglary.
But according to Barnardo's, only 7% of the 572 custodial sentences on 10-14 year-olds last year were for "grave" crimes. But successive legal changes have made it easier for children to be locked up, in secure units or secure homes run by local councils, for driving or drunk and disorderly offences, for example.
It is also concerned some children are finding themselves locked up after breaching behavioural orders. FROM THE TODAY PROGRAMME class="" href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/default.stm">More from Today programme
Martin Narey, Barnardo's chief executive, and former director general of the Prison Service, said: "We should drastically reduce the use of custody for very young children in England and Wales." They can also be given custodial sentences for breaching behavioural orders.
Barnardo's said the 550% rise in the use of custody for children had created an "expensive and ineffective" criminal justice strategy, and had resulted in children "being written off" by the age of 12.
Its study into child custody, Locking up or giving up?, based on data from 1996-2006, found only 7% of the 572 custodial sentences given to 10 to 14-year-olds in 2006 were for "grave" or "violent" offences.
The charity says the number of children and young people imprisoned in England and Wales is the third highest in Europe, behind only the Russian Federation and the Ukraine.
According to the report, holding a child in custody for a year can cost as much as £185,780 - the same as six years' schooling at Eton College.
Barnardo's said 80% of children in custody had been excluded from school and locking them up was ineffective - 78% of 10 to 14-year-olds will re-offend within 12 months of being released.
Unjustifiable custody
Martin Narey, Barnardo's chief executive, and former director general of the Prison Service, called for a "drastic reduction" in the use of custody for very young children.
It is often the most vulnerable young people in society who end up in the criminal justice system Martin Narey Barnardo's chief executiveIt is often the most vulnerable young people in society who end up in the criminal justice system Martin Narey Barnardo's chief executive
He added: "Barnardo's are not naive: we recognise that children committing grave crimes need to be incarcerated. "Barnardo's are not naive: we recognise that children committing grave crimes need to be incarcerated," he said.
"But the explosion in the use of custody for very young children when youth offending has not been growing is inexplicable, unjustifiable and unnecessary."But the explosion in the use of custody for very young children when youth offending has not been growing is inexplicable, unjustifiable and unnecessary.
"It is often the most vulnerable young people in society who end up in the criminal justice system, and despite this only 5% of the £445m spent by the Youth Justice Board (YJB) was invested in preventative work.""It is often the most vulnerable young people in society who end up in the criminal justice system, and despite this only 5% of the £445m spent by the Youth Justice Board (YJB) was invested in preventative work."
The charity said the number of children and young people imprisoned in England and Wales is the third highest in Europe, behind only the Russian Federation and the Ukraine. Barnardo's wants a change in sentencing thresholds so that a child under 15 cannot be sent to custody unless they have committed grave or violent crimes. It claims this would save the government £27.5 million a year.
According to the charity, holding a child in custody for a year can cost as much as £185,780 - the same as six years' schooling at Eton College. They also want local authorities to carry the full costs for those children sentenced to custody.
Barnardo's also said locking up young people was ineffective - 78% of 10 to 14-year-olds will re-offend within 12 months of being released, it said. It says there is currently a strong disincentive for councils to invest in preventative services because the YJB meets the costs of custodial sentences.
Mr Narey is set to debate the issue with the Justice Secretary Jack Straw at the Labour Conference in Manchester.Mr Narey is set to debate the issue with the Justice Secretary Jack Straw at the Labour Conference in Manchester.
Have you experienced any of the issues raised in this story? Do you have experience of the issues raised in this story?
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