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Inquiry launched into prison deaths of young inmates Inquiry launched into prison deaths of young inmates
(35 minutes later)
An independent inquiry into deaths in prison of 18- to 24-year-olds in England and Wales is to be established, the justice secretary, Chris Grayling, has announced.An independent inquiry into deaths in prison of 18- to 24-year-olds in England and Wales is to be established, the justice secretary, Chris Grayling, has announced.
The inquiry will be headed by a Labour peer, Lord Harris of Haringey, and follows the death of 163 children and young people in prison over the past 10 years, many of whom were on "suicide watch" at the time of their death. The inquiry will be headed by a Labour peer, Lord Harris of Haringey, and follows the deaths of 163 children and young people in prison over the past 10 years, many of whom were on "suicide watch" at the time.
There have already been three self-inflicted deaths involving children and young people under 24 in prison this year.There have already been three self-inflicted deaths involving children and young people under 24 in prison this year.
The review will focus on how to reduce the number of self-inflicted deaths. Over the past 10 years, 48 people aged 18 to 24 have died in this way, of whom the vast majority – 38 – have died while being held in adult prisons. The review will focus on how to reduce the number of self-inflicted deaths. Over the past 10 years, 48 people aged 18 to 24 have died in this way, of whom the vast majority – 38 – died while being held in adult prisons.
Grayling has also put on ice until the general election plans to close seven separate young offender institutions dedicated to holding 18- to 24-year-olds. Ministers will now await the outcome of the Harris review before deciding to move young offenders into mainstream adult prisons. The proposal has been opposed by the Youth Justice Board.Grayling has also put on ice until the general election plans to close seven separate young offender institutions dedicated to holding 18- to 24-year-olds. Ministers will now await the outcome of the Harris review before deciding to move young offenders into mainstream adult prisons. The proposal has been opposed by the Youth Justice Board.
The Harris review will not cover the deaths of children under 18. Grayling said that the Youth Justice Board would publish a report shortly on the lessons to be learned from deaths in child jails. The Harris review will not cover the deaths of children under 18. Grayling said the Youth Justice Board would publish a report shortly on the lessons to be learned from deaths in child jails.
Harris heads the independent advisory panel on deaths in custody, which already investigates individual deaths. Grayling said that although the Harris review would focus on 18- to 24-year-olds, it would identify lessons that would benefit any age group.Harris heads the independent advisory panel on deaths in custody, which already investigates individual deaths. Grayling said that although the Harris review would focus on 18- to 24-year-olds, it would identify lessons that would benefit any age group.
Inquest, the charity that advises the families of those who die in custody, tweeted that the announcement was an achievement for the campaign by the families, the Prison Reform Trust and themselves. The charity first called for an independent inquiry in 2003 after the death of 16-year-old Joseph Scholes. Deborah Coles, co-director of Inquest, said it welcomed the government's belated recognition that there was a need for independent scrutiny of the deaths of 18- to 24-year-olds in prison.
However, they added that it was "shameful that the independent review would not scrutinise deaths of children in prison or the journey into custody of vulnerable young people". "However it is shameful that the deaths of children under the age of 18 are excluded from this review given that some of the most compelling evidence about systemic failings is raised by these cases," she said. "The narrow remit of the review is also a cause for concern – the journey into custody is as relevant to the deaths of these young people as what happens to them inside prison walls. A review is the only way to examine the reasons young people end up in the criminal justice system in the first place as it is beyond the remit of the investigation and inquest process."
Before the announcement, Deborah Coles of Inquest said an independent inquiry was needed to address systemic failings in a way that individual inquests could not. She added that Inquest would raise its concerns over "this missed opportunity" for a wide-ranging review with the effective involvement of families with the prisons minister next week.
Coles said: "The state has frequently been put on notice about the scandal of deaths of children and young people in custody and 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 announcement of an independent review follows an earlier refusal by the prisons minister, Jeremy Wright, in May last year. There have been 12 self-inflicted deaths since that decision, which is the subject of a judicial review challenge by the mother of a 19-year-old found hanging in a young offender institution.The announcement of an independent review follows an earlier refusal by the prisons minister, Jeremy Wright, in May last year. There have been 12 self-inflicted deaths since that decision, which is the subject of a judicial review challenge by the mother of a 19-year-old found hanging in a young offender institution.