JFK has grave concerns about the YJB decision to cut the number of secure children's home places from 219 to 191. Whilst custody is rarely a productive outcome for a young person caught up in the criminal justice system, SCH's provide the kind of care and provision that the YJB should be seeking to develop.
JFK has grave concerns that more young people will be placed in Young Offender Institutes or Secure Training Centre's. These places just aren't suitable for very young and vulnerable young people.
Mary O'Hara has written about the concerns of penal reformers in today's society Guardian.http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2009/may/20/secure-care-homes-closure
We are also concerned that young, vulnerable people will be placed far from the families and communities that are so important to ensuring they stay away from offending behaviour. In addition, under the Carter Legal Aid reforms, lawyers no longer get paid for their travel time to visit clients held in custody. JFK has concerns that as there will be no SCH provision in the London area that young people may in effect be denied access to their solicitors, as firms will be under financial strain to spend significant time travelling to visit their clients.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
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