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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Decision due on inquiry into young prison deaths | Decision due on inquiry into young prison deaths |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Prisons Minister Jeremy Wright is due to announce whether he has agreed to hold an independent inquiry into the deaths of young people in custody. | |
| Mr Wright refused requests for an independent review last year but later agreed to look at the issue again. | Mr Wright refused requests for an independent review last year but later agreed to look at the issue again. |
| In the past 10 years, 163 children and young people under the age of 24 have died in prison. | |
| Campaigners said an independent inquiry could address systemic failings in a way that individual inquests could not. | |
| 'Failed to act' | 'Failed to act' |
| Analysis from the charity Inquest found that since 2011, two of the three children and nearly a third of those aged between 18 and 24 were being monitored for suicide and self-harm when they died. | |
| Other common features included many diagnosed with ADHD, those with special educational needs, and personality and other disorders. | Other common features included many diagnosed with ADHD, those with special educational needs, and personality and other disorders. |
| Deborah Coles, co-director of Inquest, said: "The state has frequently been put on notice about the scandal of deaths of children and young people in custody and yet has failed to act. | Deborah Coles, co-director of Inquest, said: "The state has frequently been put on notice about the scandal of deaths of children and young people in custody and yet has failed to act. |
| "The relentless nature of these deaths is shocking enough but the recurrence of depressingly familiar failings year after year should give most cause for alarm. | "The relentless nature of these deaths is shocking enough but the recurrence of depressingly familiar failings year after year should give most cause for alarm. |
| "Investigations and inquests are held in isolation, limited in remit and cannot address the wider systemic failures in state care both within and outside prisons." | "Investigations and inquests are held in isolation, limited in remit and cannot address the wider systemic failures in state care both within and outside prisons." |
| BBC legal affairs correspondent Clive Coleman said it painted a bleak picture of the failure to prevent deaths of children and young people in custody. | BBC legal affairs correspondent Clive Coleman said it painted a bleak picture of the failure to prevent deaths of children and young people in custody. |
| Secure college | Secure college |
| The BBC has learned that the minister's original decision is under judicial review from the mother of a 19-year-old man found hanged in a young offenders institution. | |
| Another mother, Lisa Courtney, whose son Ben was 18 when he hanged himself at Portland Young Offenders Institution, said more light should be thrown on failures by institutions. | |
| Her son suffered from learning difficulties and ADHD, but she says his medical notes were never sent to Portland. | Her son suffered from learning difficulties and ADHD, but she says his medical notes were never sent to Portland. |
| "Prisons are about punishment but they are not only about punishment," she said. "They are about correction. | "Prisons are about punishment but they are not only about punishment," she said. "They are about correction. |
| "Ben was neglected, Ben was just left in a cell to die, left in a cell to hang himself. | "Ben was neglected, Ben was just left in a cell to die, left in a cell to hang himself. |
| "Something is going wrong in there." | "Something is going wrong in there." |
| At the heart of the debate lies the obligation of the state under Article 2 of the Human Rights Act to protect life. | At the heart of the debate lies the obligation of the state under Article 2 of the Human Rights Act to protect life. |
| Campaigners argue that the numbers of children and young people dying in custody means that the state is failing in this obligation. | Campaigners argue that the numbers of children and young people dying in custody means that the state is failing in this obligation. |
| The Ministry of Justice has announced plans to spend £85m building a secure college in Leicestershire that will hold up to 320 young people in custody. | The Ministry of Justice has announced plans to spend £85m building a secure college in Leicestershire that will hold up to 320 young people in custody. |
| This is planned to be the first step towards several other "fortified schools" that will eventually cater for the vast majority. | This is planned to be the first step towards several other "fortified schools" that will eventually cater for the vast majority. |
| It may be, says our correspondent, that the government will argue this measure, together with existing structures and safeguards, fulfils its obligations to protect the lives of young people in custody. | It may be, says our correspondent, that the government will argue this measure, together with existing structures and safeguards, fulfils its obligations to protect the lives of young people in custody. |