Sent Down To Suffer

Carolyne WillowBASPCAN Congress 2015

Article 39Convention on the Rights of the Child

States Parties shall take all appropriate measures to

promote physical and psychological recovery and social

reintegration of a child victim of: any form of neglect,

exploitation, or abuse … Such recovery and

reintegration shall take place in an environment which

fosters the health, self-respect and dignity of the child.

Children who are locked upCharacteristic %Belongs to a minority ethnic group 41Has a disability 19Been in local authority care 33Emotional or mental health problems 23Problems with drugs when first arrived 37Problems with alcohol when first arrived 8Aged 14 or younger when last at school 38Ever excluded from school 88Has children of their own 11

HM Inspectorate of Prisons & Youth Justice Board (2014) Children in custody 2013–14. An analysis of 12–18-year-olds’ perceptions of their experiences in

secure training centres and young offender institutions

Children who are locked up

Characteristic Custody % All children %Abuse in the family 39 16Living in care 27 0.6Ever run away 47 11Death of parent and/or sibling 12 4

Jacobson, J., Bhardwa, B., Gyateng, T., Hunter, G. and Hough, M. (2010) Punishing disadvantage. A profile of children in custody, London: Prison

Reform Trust

Child deaths in custody

34 children have died in custody since 1990

• 31 children died in young offender institutions

• 2 children died in secure training centres

• 1 child died in a secure children’s home

Child deaths in custody

Gareth MyattDied 19th April 200415 years old

Adam RickwoodDied 8th August 200414 years old

Investigating child abuse in custody

• Emotional distress, self-harm and suicide

• Routine strip-searching, including as punishment

• Unlawful physical restraint, infliction of pain and broken bones

• Restricted family contact

• Hunger and other forms of neglect

• Cruel transportation

• Violence and intimidation

• Abuse allegations and access to ‘child protection’

WHY?

Investigating child abuse in custody

• Interviews

• Inspection reports

• Inquests and other legal proceedings

• Prisons and Probation Ombudsman investigations

• Serious case reviews

• Freedom of Information requests

• Parliamentary Questions

• Published research

• Leaked material

WHY?

• Belief that ‘real’ child abuse cannot happen in prisons

• Child protection and child welfare not core functions

• Child offenders can take care of themselves

• We want child offenders to suffer

Published by Policy Press, February 2015