LIFE OF MISERY BEHIND BARS FOR CHILDREN
Report highlights isolation of youngsters sent to England
W ELSH children being sent to young offender institutions in England are “lonely and isolated”, according to a damning report.
The “Imprisonment in Wales: A Factfile”, compiled by Cardiff University, has cast a light on the plight of Welsh children in custody.
So, why are Welsh children been sent to England?
The number of children in young offender institutions has fallen dramatically over the past eight years.
This fall has led to the closure of many young offender institutions or similar facilities in Wales.
This means that some Welsh children who are incarcerated have to be sent to England. WHERE ARE THESE CHILDREN BEING SENT?
In Wales, 45 per cent of all Welsh children in custody in 2017 were sent to establishments in England. The majority these were sent to HMYOI Werrington in Staffordshire. Distance to the prison from: Cardiff – 153 miles Swansea – 181 Pembroke – 232 Bangor –114 WHAT DO THESE DISTANCES MEAN FOR THE CHILDREN SENT THERE?
Purely and simply, being further away from home means fewer visits from loved ones.
Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Prisons (HMIP) found that for every 25 miles a child is from home they will receive one less visit from a family member or a friend.
It is not only family or friends but also professionals who are supposed to be reasonable for the care of these children in the community.
The report found that being based in England meant children also receive “significantly fewer” visits from community-based professionals. In total, each 26-mile interval from home meant one fewer visit from a professional responsible for the care of children in the community. IS THIS JUST HAPPENING TO WELSH CHILDREN?
What is particularly strange that despite Welsh children been sent to England, the majority of children held at Bridgend’s HMYOI Parc in 2017 were from outside of Wales.
On average, 14 Welsh children, fewer than a quarter of the unit’s full operational capacity, were held at the unit in 2017.
These English children do not see a service any better than their Welsh counterparts sent to England.
Researchers were told by one child that, despite receiving regular visits from their caseworker when held in England, they had failed to receive a single visit since being transferred to a facility in Wales.
HMIP also heard from one child who recalled their surprise at being transferred to “a different country” when moved to a unit in Wales. HOW ELSE DOES THIS AFFECT CHILDREN?
This can have a devastating impact on already vulnerable young people – especially if they are first-language Welsh.
A study on Welsh girls in custody showed that “isolation from their home country” is a major problem for children held in England. The research found that Welsh-speaking children can often find themselves “discriminated against” by other children and may struggle to access key services, including education, through the medium of Welsh.
Parc was found in the report to have major issues.
One in 10 children taking part in a study reported symptoms of anxiety or post-traumatic stress and almost 20% suffered from symptoms of depression.
In the month leading up to the research, approximately one in 10 children taking part in the study had self-harmed.
Within its most recent inspection at HMYOI Parc, inspectors discovered that over half (54%) of its previous recommendations had not been achieved.
HMIP found that reported incidents of self-harm at the Young Persons’ Unit “remained high” and that 23 boys had carried out 35 acts of self-harm in the six months to September 2017.
Sarah Crawley, Director of Barnardo’s Cymru, said she was pleased that the number of children locked up overall had gone down that the charity wanted to see all Welsh prisoners located in Wales.
She said: “It is great to see such a comprehensive reduction in the number of children and young people within Wales in the secure estate.
“This is testament to the collaborative work of multiple agencies and organisations providing high-quality support and advocacy on behalf of these children and young people.
“At Barnardo’s we would always advocate for Welsh children to be located in Wales and supported in Wales. Prison is rarely the best environment for children and young people to thrive, therefore we must continue to develop alternative solutions.” WHAT ABOUT ADULT WOMEN?
In 2017, 83% of sentenced women entering custody across England and Wales had committed non-violent offences.
Whereas Welsh children in custody will probably be sent to English prison, Welsh women are guaranteed to be.
Due to the fact that there are no women’s prisons in Wales, all Welsh women in prison are held in establishments in England.
In 2017, 83% of sentenced women entering custody across England and Wales had committed non-violent offences.
According to Frances Crook, chief executive of the Howard League for Penal Reform, the system is failing women.
“The community rehabilitation company (CRC) responsible for managing people coming out of prison and serving community sentences is owned by a German investment group!
“The CRC has failed to invest in a network of women’s centres that have been so successful in England, reducing reoffending and supporting women.
“There is not a single women’s centre in Wales that delivers court sentences. This may be one of the reasons that Welsh magistrates are remanding and sentencing so many women unnecessarily to prison, and they end up in English prisons.
“In reality, I could count on one hand the number of Welsh women who commit serious and violent offences and require penal custody each year.
“Scotland is leading the way by closing its one big women’s prison and investing in a restricted number of places in small local units for women.”
The report was also damning of Welsh adult prisons generally. ASSAULTS ON STAFF
Assaults on staff in Wales reached their highest level in 2017.
On average, there was more than one assault a day on prison staff in Wales during 2017, with the total number of assaults on prison staff in Wales five times greater in 2017 than in 2010.
The number of recorded assaults on staff in Wales was highest at HMP Parc (15 incidents per 100 prisoners) in 2017. SELF HARM
The amount of self harm reported is Welsh prisons has now reached shockingly high levels.
On average, one prisoner in Wales takes their own life every four months.
Between 2010 and 2017 there were 24 self-inflicted deaths in Welsh prisons.
HMP Parc recorded the highest rate (91 incidents per 100 prisoners) of self-harm in Wales.
While the number of prisoners held in Wales rose by 23% from 2010 to 2017, the level of recorded self-harm incidents in Wales increased by 358% during the same period.