Bang em up in the Hilton
KEEPING young offenders behind bars now costs so much that it would be cheaper to take them to the five-star Park Lane Hilton.
Figures uncovered by the Sunday People show that 24 hours at Britain’s costliest Young Offender Institution costs £371 per youth.
A room at the Hilton in London’s upper crust Mayfair comes in at only £340.
Guests at the hotel enjoy panoramic views of Hyde Park, a Michelin-starred restaurant, a spa, a fitness room and a sauna.
In contrast, teens at Werrington, Staffs, face a “high” risk of assault, while the cost of keeping offenders aged 15 to 17 banged up there has soared to £135,468 a year.
A watchdog report found that despite the rising cost, Werrington had become less safe.
Chief Inspector of Prisons Peter Clarke said the number of assaults on teenagers was “high” and violence against staff had doubled.
At Cookham Wood in Kent, it costs £112,441 per inmate – £308 per night – up by more than £14,000 in a year. Britain’s most costly men’s prison is HMP Whitemoor, Cambs, at £83,985 per prisoner – £230 a night.
Mick Pimblett of the Prison Officers’ Association said: “The youngest prisoners require specialist care and huge resources.
“They often have specific needs, and staffing levels are higher.”
In September 2018, there were 861 teens aged 15 to 17 in jail across the UK. The YOIS, none of which are privately run, hold the country’s worst juvenile offenders, including killers, rapists and thugs.
Explaining the rise, the Prison Service said: “We’re investing hundreds of millions into our prisons and young offender institutions, and recruited 4,700 officers in the last three years.”
Richard Garside, of the Centre for Crime and Justice Studies, said: “We should be investing in programmes to help young people stay out of trouble and reach their potential.”