Children seeing extreme violence while held needlessly in jail, says England and Wales watchdog

Children in England and Wales are experiencing extreme violence, including stabbings, while held in custody awaiting trial or sentencing. HM Inspectorate of Prisons found that nearly 100 children each year are remanded to custody only to be bailed or moved to local authority accommodation less than two weeks later. Many children are held for the first time and receive little clear information about why they are detained. Some children report being confused and frightened, including witnessing violence from their windows. Most children remanded and bailed within seven days or fewer are placed in young offender institutions with long periods locked behind doors and little to do. The findings coincide with plans to reduce custodial remand and overhaul youth justice by addressing drivers of offending.

"Almost 100 children each year are remanded to custody only to be bailed or moved to local authority accommodation less than two weeks later. One child told inspectors he had watched through his window as another child was stabbed and had found that scary. Most were in custody for the first time, few were given clear information about why they were being held, and some said they were confused and frightened."

"Despite professional expectations they would be managed safely in the community, a report by HM Inspectorate of Prisons has concluded that almost 100 children each year are remanded to custody only to be bailed or moved to local authority accommodation less than two weeks later. The findings have been released amid government plans for an overhaul of youth justice, including a 25% cut in the use of custodial remand for children by the end of this parliament."

"Andrea Coomber, chief executive of the Howard League for Penal Reform, said the report showed that children were being punished by the mistakes of a prison system that was supposed to help them. Prison is a toxic place for children, and spending even a few days in that environment can be terrifying and profoundly damaging. Although remand should always be a last resort, too many children are being sent there by the courts and being punished for the mistakes of services who ought to be helping them."

"The majority of children placed on remand and bailed within seven days or fewer are placed in a young offender institution, where they experience long periods locked behind their doors with very little to do. This would never help children to grow and lead productive lives as adults, she said."

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